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Akurate Motor Traders Ltd Company Information and History

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Akurate Motor Traders Ltd. were an Australian company making tools and automotive parts founded in 1920. Their tagline seems to have been "The Spare Parts Specialists" and they had premises at 74-76 Commonwealth Street in Sydney and in Hunter Street, Newcastle West. Telegrams were to be sent to "Motralim" Sydney and their Sydney telephone was F2137 (6 lines). The Newcastle branch was telephone no. 598 and had two lines.

The company seems to be listed more often as being just Motor Traders Ltd.

Catalogues have been found from:

• March 1936 advertising Eccentric and Self Adjusting Tie Rods and Tie Rod Ends - 6 lines in Sydney, no mention of Newcastle in this one
• August 1936 advertising timing gears that were "quiet as a shadow" - 6 lines in Sydney, 2 in Newcastle
• September 1936 advertising ignition gears - "Products of Experience" - 6 lines in Sydney, 2 in Newcastle
• December 1936 advertising axle shafts and propeller shafts - "The Balanced Shaft", only 4 lines in Sydney, and GPO Box 2943 NN

Their catalogues state that they guarantee that their axles are 100% replacements of the original parts. The front page of the brochures picture a micrometer above the word Accurate, and a keystone above the word Dependable.

They appear to have done things other than tools as well - on Wed the 6th October 1920 p.557 of the Police Gazette reported that on the 29th September that year the Harvey Brothers jewellers in Gosford had stolen from them, amongst other items, an eight-day "Akurate" clock. Sydney's Evening News reported on the 25th June 1926 that the company had been founded in 1920 and had grown to be one of biggest motor replacement firms in Australia. By 1933 they had a large annual staff dance, as reported on the 20th Sept by the Daily Telegraph in Sydney. At the time a Mr. W. T. Wood was the governing director of the firm.

On the 5th Nov 1935 the Brisbane Daily Standard reported that the Akurate Motor Company was to be giving free material and services to motorists at a Motor Transport Picnic for Crippled Children.

The only Akurate tool I have personally seen so far is a flathead 6x3/8" driver:

The company name is visible in the side of the handle:

On the other side we can see it was made in Australia:

The width and length of the shaft is on one of the other wings:

I have found reference to what may be the company closing - 23rd May 2000 the Commonwealth of Australia Business Gazette reported that Motor Traders Pty. Ltd. (ACN 065 372 349) was in liquidation. The liquidators were Cole Downey and Co. Same company? No idea! There are certainly plenty of variations on the "Motor Traders" name floating around...

The Government Gazette of the State of NSW reported on 19th March 1943 that the Motor Traders Pty. Ltd. had their premises at Hunter Street in Wickham.

Has anyone got any further information on this company? I'd love to hear from you - hit me up via the contact page if so!

In 2015 there was an application to utilise the building at 74-76 Commonwealth Street as an accomodation hotel amongst other purposes along with the addition of 2 extra floors, adjoining that building with the Paramount building at 80 Commonwealth Street (next door, as there appears to be no 78). DA here. In the DA 74-76 is described as a "former warehouse" but that's about all.