EXHIBIT 99

News Release
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL


John Snyder, The Snyder Buscher Group, (206) 652-9704,  JSnyder@sbgir.com
John Kent, Aftermarket Technology, (630) 455-6000,  JKent@ATC.atcaff.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 12, 1998


                 AFTERMARKET TECHNOLOGY EXPECTS 1998 RESULTS TO BE 
                              BELOW PREVIOUS ESTIMATES


WESTMONT, IL., OCTOBER 12, 1998 -- Aftermarket Technology Corp. (NASDAQ: 
ATAC) today announced that its projected earnings per share for the third and 
fourth quarters of 1998 will be below current consensus estimates.  Based on 
preliminary figures, the Company expects that earnings per share for the 
third quarter of 1998 will be in the range of $0.10 to $0.12 and anticipates 
that fourth quarter results could be in the same range.  As a result, 
full-year 1998 earnings per share are expected to be between $0.79 and $0.83 
(before $3.6 million of special charges recorded in the second quarter), 
which is significantly below current analysts' consensus estimates.  
Aftermarket Technology expects to report its third quarter results on 
November 2, 1998.

As previously reported, several of the Company's OEM customers have excess 
inventory and the Company has reduced shipments to them in order to assist 
these customers in lowering their inventories to meet targeted levels by the 
end of 1998.  Although most of these OEMs have made good progress in reducing 
their inventory levels, lower than forecasted demand at one of the Company's 
primary OEM customers has made it necessary for the Company to further reduce 
shipments significantly in order for this OEM to still achieve the targeted 
inventory level by year-end.  As a result, sales to OEM customers during each 
of the third and fourth quarters of 1998 are expected to be approximately 3% 
to 5% lower than sales to OEMs during the second quarter of 1998.  In 
addition to the anticipated reduction in sales to OEM customers, 1998 results 
are being adversely affected by short-term problems in the implementation of 
the enterprise-wide computer system for the Company's Distribution Group.

"The challenges that we are facing with our OEM customers and the integration 
of our Distribution Group are proving to be greater than previously 
anticipated but we expect to have these issues behind us by year-end."  
commented Stephen Perkins, Chairman, President, and CEO of Aftermarket 
Technology.  "However, we still expect the Company to be in an excellent 
position to achieve very strong earnings growth in 1999 based on the ramping 
up of the Chrysler rear wheel drive program, the completion of our 
Distribution Group integration, and our lean manufacturing initiatives."



The preceding paragraphs contains forward-looking statements that are subject 
to risks and uncertainties that are described in the Company's filings with 
the Securities and Exchange Commission.  There can be no assurance that 
actual results will not differ materially from those projected or implied by 
such statements.

Aftermarket Technology is a leading remanufacturer and distributor of drive 
train products used in the repair of vehicles in the automotive aftermarket. 
Aftermarket Technology's principal products include remanufactured 
transmissions, torque converters, engines, electronic control modules, 
instrument display clusters and radios as well as remanufactured and new 
parts for the repair of automotive drive train assemblies.  In addition, the 
Company provides value added, third party distribution and material 
logistical services to such customers as AT&T Wireless and Ford Motor 
Company.  The Company's customers include original equipment manufacturers, 
independent transmission rebuilders, general repair shops, distributors and 
retail automotive parts stores.  Established in 1994, the Company maintains 
over 50 distribution centers throughout the United States and Canada, and 
also has facilities in Mexico and England.


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