Established 1960 · Boonton, NJ
We Keep the Classics Running.
For more than six decades, two brothers and the family that followed have kept America's classic cars on the road — one hard-to-find part at a time.
Who We Are
We find the parts everyone else forgot, for the cars nobody wants to let go.
Kanter Auto Products was founded in 1960 by brothers Fred and Dan Kanter, who shared a passion for classic cars and saw an opportunity to serve a growing community of enthusiasts.
By sourcing hard-to-find parts, acquiring new old stock inventory, and eventually manufacturing replacement components themselves, the brothers built a business that became a cornerstone of the antique car hobby.
More than 60 years later, the mission remains the same: provide high-quality parts, expert support, and make restoration easier for classic car owners.
- 65+
- Years of automotive passion
- 1920's–2020's
- Domestic models we cover
- 30,000+
- Parts catalogued
- 250,000+
- Satisfied customers
Our Story
It started with a $50 purchase
In 1960, brothers Fred and Dan Kanter spotted a 1937 Packard sitting beside a rural gas station. They bought it for $50, rebuilt it, and sold the spare parts they found inside for more than they'd paid for the whole car.
In that moment they saw it: classic car owners needed quality parts and people who actually knew them. What began as a hobby became a business, sourcing hard-to-find parts, acquiring new old stock, and eventually manufacturing replacement components of their own.
From Packards and Cadillacs to Buicks, Lincolns, and beyond, Kanter became a trusted name in the collector car community — built by car people, for car people.
Six Decades on the road!
1960
The Beginning
The Doors Open
Fred and Dan buy a 1937 Packard beside a rural gas station for $50, rebuild it, and sell the spare parts inside for more than the car cost. The idea for Kanter Auto Products is born.
In the beginning · 1960 1970s
Building the Inventory
Hunting Down New Old Stock
The brothers travel the circuit, sorting and stocking hard-to-find components by hand, down to original Packard new old stock still in its factory wrapping. Every box hauled home adds to a catalog restorers can't find anywhere else.
New Old Stock hunting · 70's 1980s
Scaling Up
Computerized in Boonton
Orders pour in from across the country. The operation grows from a passion project into a full-fledged parts house — inventory tracked on green-screen terminals and fanfold printouts, still run by the people who know the parts best.
The order desk · 1980s 1990s
Coast to Coast
A Catalog in Every Garage
The Kanter catalog becomes a fixture in restoration shops and home garages nationwide. Reproduction lines expand to cover the parts time and rust had made impossible to find.
Catalogs in every garage · 90's 2020s
Old Cars, New Tech
A New Website. A Modern Warehouse.
We launched a rebuilt website and brought modern technology onto the floor — live fulfillment tracking, smarter inventory, faster shipping. The tools are new; the mission is the same. Six decades in, Kanter stays a strong force in the industry.
The fulfillment floor · Today Today
Rooted in Boonton
Same Roots. Road Ahead.
We still work from where we started — the historic Kanter warehouse in Boonton. But we're not standing still: new product lines, an expanding catalog, and the continued push on technology to make the customer experience the best it can be. The roots stay put; the road keeps going.
Boonton, NJ 2026
The Next Generation · 2023
“I'm incredibly proud to continue the legacy my father and uncle started. Being part of this industry means more than just selling parts, it's about preserving history and helping people keep their passions alive.”
The Modern Age · Since 2023
New Tools. Same Brand.
Taking the reins meant more than keeping the lights on. Since 2023 we've rebuilt how Kanter runs — a modern website, smarter inventory, and faster fulfillment — so you get the right part quicker than ever. What hasn't changed: pick up the phone and a real person who knows the parts still answers.
A Catalog You Can Actually Search
A rebuilt website puts the inventory online — browse by make, model, and year, check fitment, and order in a few clicks instead of a few phone calls.
Faster From the Warehouse
Modernized inventory and order systems mean what's in stock ships sooner, with fewer mix-ups — the same New Jersey warehouse, moving at today's pace.
Old-School When It Counts
Technology handles the busywork so our people can do what they've always done — talk you through a tricky rebuild and find the part nobody else stocks.
Where We Stand
Still Family. Still Serving.
In 2023, Kanter Auto passed to the next generation, with Fred's son Simcha taking the reins. Under his leadership the company continues to serve classic car enthusiasts worldwide — providing the parts needed to restore and maintain vintage American automobiles.
The family's dedication to quality and service remains as strong as ever, supporting a thriving community of car lovers.
01Do It Once and Do It Right. ™
The philosophy that's guided us from the beginning. Hand-checked fitment and deep inventory, so you get exactly what your car needs.
02History, Preserved
We stock and reproduce the components others gave up on — so these cars stay on the road.
03People Who Know
Real humans who live and breathe these vehicles, answering the phone since 1960.
“May your meals be square and your wheels be round.”