Jim and John DeBates established Auto Machine, Inc. in August of 1974. This was an easy decision for the brothers to start an automotive business—their family had been in this business since 1902 in St. Charles, IL. Starting out as drag racers in the early 70s, the DeBates brothers decided that the only way to get good machine work done was to do it themselves.     Auto Machine first focused its attention around cylinder head work because it was easily available. Starting with only a valve grinder, seat and guide machine, hot tank and surface grinder, the business quickly expanded into a full machine shop with crankshaft grinding, crankshaft welding, line boring, and rod reconditioning.

With over 40 years of personal experience and a family history in the automotive industry dating back to 1902, Auto Machine seeks to combine their proven quality with the customer’s unique specifications. The result: unique projects, unparalleled performance, and an extremely satisfied customer base.