EXHIBIT 3.1

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                           AMBROSIA ACQUISITION CORP.

        The undersigned, T. Michael Young, President, and Paul E. Pryzant,
Secretary of Ambrosia Acquisition Corp., a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Corporation"), do hereby certify
as follows:

        FIRST: The name of the Corporation is

                           Ambrosia Acquisition Corp.

        SECOND: The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation was filed in
the Office of the Secretary of State of Delaware on October 9, 1997.

        THIRD: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly
adopted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors having duly adopted
resolutions setting forth and declaring advisable this Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, and in lieu of a meeting of the stockholders,
written consent to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation having
been given by the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock of the
Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware.

        FOURTH: This Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is being
filed pursuant to Sections 242 and 245 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
in order to restate the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation as
amended to date, and also to amend further the Certificate of Incorporation to
(i) change the name of the Company, (ii) increase the authorized capital stock
of the Corporation, (iii) authorize the issuance of preferred stock and
restricted voting common stock and (iv) to provide for the classification of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation.

        FIFTH: The Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby
amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

                                   ARTICLE ONE

        The name of the corporation is

                           Transportation Components, Inc.

                                        1

                                   ARTICLE TWO

        The registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is
located at 1209 Orange Street in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle.
The name of its registered agent is The Corporation Trust Company.

                                  ARTICLE THREE

        The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or
activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware.

                                  ARTICLE FOUR

        The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have
authority to issue is One Hundred Seven Million (107,000,000) shares, of which
Five Million (5,000,000) shares, designated as Preferred Stock, shall have a par
value of One Cent ($.01) per share (the "Preferred Stock"), One Hundred Million
(100,000,000) shares, designated as Common Stock, shall have a par value of One
Cent ($.01) per share (the "Common Stock"), andTwo Million, (2,000,000) shares,
designated as Restricted Voting Common Stock, shall have a par value of One Cent
($.01) per share (the "Restricted Voting Common Stock").

        A statement of the powers, preferences and rights, and the
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in respect of each class of
stock of the Corporation is as follows:

                                 PREFERRED STOCK

        The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time by the Board of
Directors as shares of one or more classes or series. Subject to the provisions
of this Certificate of Incorporation and the limitations prescribed by law, the
Board of Directors is expressly authorized by adopting resolutions to issue the
shares, fix the number of shares and change the number of shares constituting
any series, and to provide for or change the voting powers, designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights,
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights
(and whether dividends are cumulative), dividend rates, terms of redemption
(including sinking fund provisions), a redemption price or prices, conversion
rights and liquidation preferences of the shares constituting any class or
series of the Preferred Stock, without any further action or vote by the
stockholders.

                                        2

                                  COMMON STOCK

        1. DIVIDENDS.

        Subject to the preferred rights of the holders of shares of any class or
series of Preferred Stock as provided by the Board of Directors with respect to
any such class or series of Preferred Stock, the holders of the Common Stock
shall be entitled to receive, as and when declared by the Board of Directors out
of the funds of the Corporation legally available therefor, such dividends
(payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as the Board of Directors may from time to
time determine, payable to stockholders of record on such dates, not exceeding
60 days preceding the dividend payment dates, as shall be fixed for such purpose
by the Board of Directors in advance of payment of each particular dividend. All
dividends on Common Stock shall be paid PARI PASSU with dividends on Restricted
Voting Common Stock.

        2. LIQUIDATION.

        In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after the distribution or payment
to the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock as provided
by the Board of Directors with respect to any such class or series of Preferred
Stock, the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to
stockholders shall be distributed among and paid to the holders of Common Stock
and Restricted Voting Common Stock ratably in proportion to the number of shares
of Common Stock and Restricted Voting Common Stock held by them respectively.

        3. VOTING RIGHTS.

        Except as otherwise required by law, each holder of shares of Common
Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in
such holder's name of the books of the Corporation.

                         RESTRICTED VOTING COMMON STOCK

        1. DIVIDENDS.

        Subject to the preferred rights of the holders of shares of any class or
series of Preferred Stock as provided by the Board of Directors with respect to
any such class or series of Preferred Stock, the holders of the Restricted
Voting Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, as and when declared by the
Board of Directors out of the funds of the Corporation

                                        3

legally available therefor, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise)
as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine, payable to
stockholders of record on such dates, not exceeding 60 days preceding the
dividend payment dates, as shall be fixed for such purpose by the Board of
Directors in advance of payment of each particular dividend. All dividends on
Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be paid PARI PASSU with dividends on Common
Stock.

        2. LIQUIDATION.

        In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after the distribution or payment
to the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock as provided
by the Board of Directors with respect to any such class or series of Preferred
Stock, the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to
stockholders shall be distributed among and paid to the holders of Restricted
Voting Common Stock and Common Stock ratably in proportion to the number of
shares of Restricted Voting Common Stock and Common Stock held by them
respectively.

        3. VOTING RIGHTS.

        Holders of Restricted Voting Common Stock voting as a class shall be
entitled to elect one member of the Board of Directors, but shall not otherwise
be entitled to vote in the election of directors of the Corporation. Subject to
the foregoing, and except as otherwise required by law, each holder of shares of
Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be entitled to ( ) of one vote for each
share of Restricted Voting Common Stock standing in such holder's name of the
books of the Corporation.

        4. CONVERSION OF THE RESTRICTED VOTING COMMON STOCK.

        Each share of Restricted Voting Common Stock will automatically convert
into Common Stock on a share for share basis (a) in the event of a disposition
of such share of Restricted Voting Common Stock by the holder thereof (other
than a disposition which is a distribution by a holder to its partners or
beneficial owners or a transfer to a related party of such holder (as defined in
Sections 267, 707, 318 and/or 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)), (b)
in the event any person acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, (c) in the event any
person offers to acquire 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
of the Corporation, (d) in the event the holder of Restricted Voting Common
Stock elects to convert it into Common Stock at any time after the second
anniversary of the consummation of the Corporation's initial public offering of
its Common Stock (the "Public Offering"), (e) on the third

                                        4

anniversary of the date of the consummation of the Corporation's Public
Offering, or (f) in the event a majority of the aggregate number of votes which
may be cast by the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock and Restricted
Voting Common Stock entitled to vote approve such conversion.

        After June 30, 2000, the Corporation may elect to convert any
outstanding shares of Restricted Voting Common Stock into shares of Common Stock
in the event 80% or more of the outstanding shares of Restricted Voting Common
Stock have been converted into shares of Common Stock.

                                  ARTICLE FIVE

1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

        Following the consummation of the Corporation's Public Offering, the
Directors shall be classified with respect to the time for which they shall
severally hold office into three classes as nearly equal in number as possible.
The Class I directors shall be elected to hold office for an initial term
expiring at the 1999 annual meeting of stockholders, the Class II Directors
shall be elected to hold office for an initial term expiring at the 2000 annual
meeting of stockholders and the Class III Directors shall be elected to hold
office for an initial term expiring at the 2001 annual meeting of stockholders,
with the members of each class of directors to hold office until their
successors have been duly elected and qualified. At each annual meeting of
stockholders, the successors to the class of directors whose term expires at
that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual
meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their
election and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. At
each annual meeting of stockholders at which a quorum is present, the persons
receiving a plurality of the votes cast shall be directors. No director or class
of directors may be removed from office by a vote of the stockholders at any
time except for cause. Election of directors need not be by written ballot
unless the Bylaws of the Corporation so provide.

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holders of Restricted Voting Common
Stock voting as a class shall be entitled to elect one member of the Board of
Directors, and only the holders of the Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be
entitled to remove such member from the Board of Directors.

                                        5

2. VACANCIES.

        Any vacancy on the Board of Directors resulting from death, retirement,
resignation, disqualification or removal from office or other cause, as well as
any vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of directors which occurs
between annual meetings of the stockholders at which directors are elected,
shall be filled only by a majority vote of the remaining directors then in
office, though less than a quorum, except that those vacancies resulting from
removal from office by a vote of the stockholders may be filled by a vote of the
stockholders at the same meeting at which such removal occurs. The directors
chosen to fill vacancies shall hold office for a term expiring at the end of the
next annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class to which they
have been elected expires. No decrease in the number of directors constituting
the Board of Directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. If the
vacancy on the Board of Directors results from the death, retirement,
resignation, disqualification or removal from office of the director elected by
the holders of the Restricted Voting Common Stock, only the holders of the
Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be entitled to fill such vacancy.

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of one or more
classes or series of Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately, as
a class or series, to elect directors, the election, term of office, filling of
vacancies, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by
the terms of the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
pursuant to ARTICLE FOUR applicable thereto, and each director so elected shall
not be subject to the provisions of this ARTICLE FIVE unless otherwise provided
therein.

3. POWER TO MAKE, ALTER AND REPEAL BYLAWS.

        In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute,
the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, alter and repeal the
Bylaws of the Corporation.

4. AMENDMENT AND REPEAL OF ARTICLE FIVE.

        Notwithstanding any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation and
of the Bylaws, and notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be
specified by Delaware law, unless such action has been approved by a majority
vote of the full Board of Directors, the affirmative vote of 66 2/3 percent of
the votes which all stockholders of the then outstanding shares of capital stock
of the Corporation would be entitled to cast thereon, voting together as a
single class, shall be required to amend or repeal any provisions of this
ARTICLE FIVE or to adopt any provision inconsistent with this ARTICLE FIVE. In
the event such action

                                        6

has been previously approved by a majority vote of the full Board of Directors,
the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote
thereon shall be sufficient to amend or repeal any provision of this ARTICLE
FIVE or adopt any provision inconsistent with this ARTICLE FIVE.

                                   ARTICLE SIX

        The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any
provision in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter
prescribed by statute.

                                  ARTICLE SEVEN

        No director of the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director,
except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation law or (iv) for any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

                                  ARTICLE EIGHT

        The Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of
the Delaware General Corporation Law, as the same may be amended and
supplemented, indemnify each director and officer of the Corporation from and
against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters referred to in
or covered by said section and the indemnification provided for herein shall not
be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be
entitled under any Bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders, vote of disinterested
directors or otherwise, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a
director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and
administrators of such persons and the Corporation may purchase and maintain
insurance on behalf of any director or officer to the extent permitted by
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

                                        7

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of the Corporation and have
attested such execution and do verify and affirm, under penalty of perjury, that
this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation is the act and deed of
the Corporation and that the facts stated herein are true as of this 14th of
April, 1998.

                                            AMBROSIA ACQUISITION CORP.

                                            By: /s/ T. MICHAEL YOUNG
                                                    T. Michael Young
                                                    President

Attest:

/s/ PAUL E. PRYZANT
    Paul E. Pryzant
    Secretary

                                        8

                            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
                                       OF
                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                          CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                         TRANSPORTATION COMPONENTS, INC.

      Transportation Components, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing
under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
"Company"), does hereby certify:

      FIRST: That the Board of Directors of the Company, pursuant to a unanimous
written consent signed by all directors of the Company and effective as of May
22, 1998, adopted the following resolution, proposing and declaring advisable
and in the best interests of the Company the amendment to the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Company set forth in such resolution, and directed that the
same be submitted to a vote of the stockholders of the Company:

            RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company be
      amended by deleting Article Four in its entirety and substituting the
      following therefor:

                              ARTICLE FOUR

      The total number of shares of stock which the Corporation shall have
authority to issue is One Hundred Seven Million (107,000,000) shares, of which
Five Million (5,000,000) shares, designated as Preferred Stock, shall have a par
value of One Cent ($.01) per share (the "Preferred Stock"), One Hundred Million
(100,000,000) shares, designated as Common Stock, shall have a par value of One
Cent ($.01) per share (the "Common Stock"), and Two Million, (2,000,000) shares,
designated as Restricted Voting Common Stock, shall have a par value of One Cent
($.01) per share (the "Restricted Voting Common Stock").

      A statement of the powers, preferences and rights, and the qualifications,
limitations or restrictions thereof, in respect of each class of stock of the
Corporation is as follows:

                             PREFERRED STOCK

      The Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time by the Board of
Directors as shares of one or more classes or series. Subject to the provisions
of this Certificate of Incorporation and the limitations prescribed by law, the
Board of Directors is expressly authorized by adopting resolutions to issue the
shares, fix the number of shares and change the number of shares constituting
any series, and to provide for or change the voting powers, designations,
preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights,
qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including dividend rights
(and whether dividends are cumulative), dividend rates, terms of redemption
(including sinking fund

provisions), a redemption price or prices, conversion rights and liquidation
preferences of the shares constituting any class or series of the Preferred
Stock, without any further action or vote by the stockholders.

                              COMMON STOCK

      1.          DIVIDENDS.

      Subject to the preferred rights of the holders of shares of any class or
series of Preferred Stock as provided by the Board of Directors with respect to
any such class or series of Preferred Stock, the holders of the Common Stock
shall be entitled to receive, as and when declared by the Board of Directors out
of the funds of the Corporation legally available therefor, such dividends
(payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as the Board of Directors may from time to
time determine, payable to stockholders of record on such dates, not exceeding
60 days preceding the dividend payment dates, as shall be fixed for such purpose
by the Board of Directors in advance of payment of each particular dividend. All
dividends on Common Stock shall be paid PARI PASSU with dividends on Restricted
Voting Common Stock.

      2.          LIQUIDATION.

      In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after the distribution or payment
to the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock as provided
by the Board of Directors with respect to any such class or series of Preferred
Stock, the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to
stockholders shall be distributed among and paid to the holders of Common Stock
and Restricted Voting Common Stock ratably in proportion to the number of shares
of Common Stock and Restricted Voting Common Stock held by them respectively.

      3.          VOTING RIGHTS.

      Except as otherwise required by law, each holder of shares of Common Stock
shall be entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock standing in such
holder's name of the books of the Corporation.

                     RESTRICTED VOTING COMMON STOCK

      1.    DIVIDENDS.

      Subject to the preferred rights of the holders of shares of any class or
series of Preferred Stock as provided by the Board of Directors with respect to
any such class or series of Preferred Stock, the holders of the Restricted
Voting Common Stock shall be entitled to receive, as and when declared by the
Board of Directors out of the funds of the Corporation legally available
therefor, such dividends (payable in cash, stock or otherwise) as the Board of
Directors may from time to time determine, payable to stockholders of record on
such dates, not exceeding 60 days preceding the dividend payment dates, as shall
be fixed for such

purpose by the Board of Directors in advance of payment of each particular
dividend. All dividends on Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be paid PARI
PASSU with dividends on Common Stock.

      2.    LIQUIDATION.

      In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the
Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, after the distribution or payment
to the holders of shares of any class or series of Preferred Stock as provided
by the Board of Directors with respect to any such class or series of Preferred
Stock, the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to
stockholders shall be distributed among and paid to the holders of Restricted
Voting Common Stock and Common Stock ratably in proportion to the number of
shares of Restricted Voting Common Stock and Common Stock held by them
respectively.

      3.    VOTING RIGHTS.

      Holders of Restricted Voting Common Stock voting as a class shall be
entitled to elect one member of the Board of Directors, but shall not otherwise
be entitled to vote in the election of directors of the Corporation. Subject to
the foregoing, and except as otherwise required by law, each holder of shares of
Restricted Voting Common Stock shall be entitled to three-fourths (.75) of one
vote for each share of Restricted Voting Common Stock standing in such holder's
name of the books of the Corporation.

      4. CONVERSION OF THE RESTRICTED VOTING COMMON STOCK.

      Each share of Restricted Voting Common Stock will automatically convert
into Common Stock on a share for share basis (a) in the event of a disposition
of such share of Restricted Voting Common Stock by the holder thereof (other
than a disposition which is a distribution by a holder to its partners or
beneficial owners or a transfer to a related party of such holder (as defined in
Sections 267, 707, 318 and/or 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986)), (b)
in the event any person acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, (c) in the event any
person offers to acquire 15% or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock
of the Corporation, or (d) in the event a majority of the aggregate number of
votes which may be cast by the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock and
Restricted Voting Common Stock entitled to vote approve such conversion.

      After June 30, 2000, the Corporation may elect to convert any outstanding
shares of Restricted Voting Common Stock into shares of Common Stock in the
event 80% or more of the outstanding shares of Restricted Voting Common Stock
have been converted into shares of Common Stock.

      SECOND, that in lieu of a meeting and vote of stockholders, the holder of
all of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on said amendment has
consented in writing to said

amendment in accordance with the provisions of Section 228 of the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

      THIRD: That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with
the applicable provisions of Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware.

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Certificate of
Amendment to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation on behalf of the
Corporation and have attested such execution and do verify and affirm, under
penalty of perjury, that this Certificate of Amendment to Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation is the act and deed of the Corporation and that the
facts stated herein are true as of this 22nd of May, 1998.


                              TRANSPORTATION COMPONENTS, INC.

                              By: /s/ T. MICHAEL YOUNG
                                      T. Michael Young
                                      President

Attest:

/s/ PAUL E. PRYZANT
    Paul E. Pryzant
    Secretary