Chicago 1915. Henry Ford's Model T had been in mass production for only seven years, when a Lithuanian immigrant named Israel Warshawsky decided to climb on the running board of the emerging automotive industry. As cars began to break down, Israel saw an opportunity to mine replacement parts from derelict automobiles.  Today, more than 80 years since Israel Warshawsky began recycling used auto parts, the Warshawsky/JC Whitney Company is the largest direct marketer of auto parts and accessories.