<PAGE>

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                         -------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
            -------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           New York                                   11-1362020
---------------------------------        --------------------------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)


              37-18 Northern Boulevard, Long Island City, NY 11101
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
                    Independent Directors' Stock Option Plan
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                Lawrence I. Sills
                                    President
                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
                            37-18 Northern Boulevard
                           Long Island City, NY 11101
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (718) 392-0200
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

====================================================================================================================================
<S>                          <C>                    <C>                           <C>                               <C>    
Title of Securities to       Amount to be           Proposed maximum offering     Proposed maximum                  Amount of
be registered                registered             price per share(1)            aggregate offering price(1)       registration fee
                                                                            
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock, $2.00          50,000 Shares          $23.2812                      $1,164,060.00                     $343.40
par value

====================================================================================================================================

</TABLE>

(1) Estimated  solely for the purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee in
accordance  with  Rules  457(c)  and (h) under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended on the basis of the  average of the high and low prices  reported in the
consolidated reporting system on April 28, 1998.


<PAGE>


                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

                  The document(s)  containing information specified by Part I of
this Form S-8 Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") will be sent
or given to  participants  in the  Standard  Motor  Products,  Inc.  Independent
Directors'  Stock  Option Plan (the  "Plan"),  as  specified  in Rule  428(b)(1)
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"). Such document(s)
are not being filed with the Commission but constitute (along with the documents
incorporated by reference into the Registration  Statement pursuant to Item 3 of
Part II hereof),  a prospectus  that meets the  requirements of Section 10(a) of
the Securities Act.


<PAGE>


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

                  The  following  documents  have been filed by  Standard  Motor
Products, Inc. (the "Registrant") with the Commission pursuant to the Securities
Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange   Act")  and  are  hereby
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

                  (a)  Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997; and

                  (b) All documents  subsequently  filed by the Registrant  with
the Commission  pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the 1934 Act,
prior to the  filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold,  shall be  deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

                  None.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  In 1986 various Sections of Article 7 of the New York Business
Corporation  Law ("BCL") were amended to broaden the  indemnification  rights of
directors,  officers  and  employees.  In 1987 BCL  Section  402(b) was  further
amended to permit a provision to be included in a certificate  of  incorporation
shielding  directors  from  personal  liability  for  breach of their  duties as
directors.  In order to  protect  its  directors,  officers  and  employees,  as
applicable,  to the fullest  extent  permitted  by these  statutory  amendments,
Registrant amended its By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation.

                  In general,  Registrant's amended By-laws provide that, except
to the extent expressly  prohibited by the BCL,  Registrant shall indemnify each
person made or  threatened  to be made a party to, or called as a witness in, or
asked to submit  information  in, any action or proceeding by reason of the fact
that such  person is or was a director  or officer of  Registrant,  or serves or
served, at the request of Registrant,  any other entity in any capacity, against
judgments, fines, penalties, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses,
including   attorneys'  fees,   incurred  in  connection  with  such  action  or
proceeding,  or any appeal therein. This indemnification  requirement covers any
pending or threatened  action,  proceeding,  hearing or  investigation,  whether
civil or criminal,  whether  judicial,  administrative or legislative in nature,
and whether or not in the nature of a direct or shareholders'  derivative action
brought by or on behalf of  Registrant  or any other  corporation  or enterprise
which the director or officer of 

                                      II-1

<PAGE>


Registrant serves or has served at Registrant's  request.  Registrant's  amended
By-laws  prohibit  indemnification  if a judgment  or other  final  adjudication
adverse to such person  establishes  that his or her acts were  committed in bad
faith or were the result of active or deliberate dishonesty and were material to
the cause of action so adjudicated,  or that he or she personally gained in fact
a  financial  profit  or other  advantage  to  which  he or she was not  legally
entitled.  The amended By-laws further provide that no indemnification  shall be
required with respect to any settlement or other non-adjudicated  disposition of
any threatened or pending action or proceeding  unless  Registrant has given its
prior consent to such  settlement  or other  disposition.  Registrant's  amended
By-laws  require  Registrant to advance or promptly  reimburse  upon request any
person entitled to indemnification for all expenses,  including attorneys' fees,
reasonably  incurred in  defending  any action or  proceeding  in advance of the
final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by such person to repay
such amount if such person is ultimately not to be entitled to  indemnification;
provided,  however,  that such person  cooperates with any request by Registrant
that  counsel be utilized by the  parties to an action or  proceeding  similarly
situated  unless to do so would be  inappropriate  due to  actual  or  potential
conflicts of interest.

                  Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation was amended to add a
provision  that  the  personal  liability  of the  directors  of  Registrant  be
eliminated  to the fullest  extent  permitted by the  provisions  of BCL Section
402(b).  It was also amended to provide that  Registrant  shall,  to the fullest
extent permitted by Article 7 of the BCL,  indemnify under that statute from and
against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters covered by the
statute,  and the amended provisions of the By-laws,  summarized above,  contain
the detailed terms and conditions under which this  indemnification  requirement
of the Certificate of Incorporation is to be effected.

                  Registrant  maintains an officers'  and  directors'  liability
insurance policy insuring  Registrant's  officers and directors  against certain
liabilities  and  expenses  incurred by them in their  capacities  as such.  The
policy does not reimburse the Registrant for indemnification  obligations to its
officers and directors.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                  Not Applicable.


                                      II-2


<PAGE>



ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.


Exhibit
Number                           Description
-------                          -----------

   4.1          Standard  Motor  Products,  Inc.  Independent  Directors'  Stock
                Option  Plan  (Incorporated  by  reference  to  the Registrant's
                Annual  Report  on  Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
                31, 1996)

   4.2          The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, defining
                the rights of holders of the  capital  stock of the  Registrant,
                dated July 31, 1990

   4.3          The Registrant's Certificate of  Amendment of the Certificate of
                Incorporation, dated February 15, 1996

   5            Opinion  of  Kelley  Drye  &  Warren LLP,  Counsel to Registrant

  23.1          Consent of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  Independent Auditors

  23.2          Consent of  Kelley  Drye & Warren LLP (included in opinion filed
                as  Exhibit 5) 

  24            Powers of  Attorney of Directors and Certain Officers  of  the
                Registrant  (included  on the signature pages hereof)


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective  amendment to this Registration  Statement:  (i) to
include any prospectus  required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii)
to reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising  after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective  amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing,  any  increase or decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the
total  dollar  value of  securities  offered  would not  exceed  that  which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of the estimated  maximum
offering  range  may be  reflected  in the  form of  prospectus  filed  with the
Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,  the changes in volume
and the  price  represent  no  more  than a 20  percent  change  in the  maximum
aggregate  offering price set forth in the  "Calculation  of  Registration  Fee"
table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
the  Registration  Statement or any material  change to such  information in the
Registration  Statement;  provided,  however, that subparagraphs (i) and (ii) do
not  apply  if the  information  required  to be  included  in a  post-effective
amendment by those  subparagraphs  is contained in periodic reports filed by the
Registrant  pursuant  to  Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the  1934  Act  that   are


                                      II-3

<PAGE>


incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that
paragraphs  (a)(1)(i)  and  (a)(1)(ii)  above do not  apply  if the  information
required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is
contained in periodic  reports filed with or furnished to the  Commission by the
Registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a
new Registration  Statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  (4) That, for the purposes of determining  any liability under
the Securities  Act, each filing of the  Registrant's  annual report pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act (and where applicable, each filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the 1934
Act), that it is incorporated by reference in the  Registration  Statement shall
be deemed to be a new Registration  Statement relating to the securities offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (5) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under
the  Securities  Act may be permitted  to  directors,  officers and  controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions described in Item
6 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise,  the Registrant has been advised
that in the opinion of the  Commission  such  indemnification  is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,  unenforceable.  In
the event that a claim for indemnification  against such liabilities (other than
the  payment by the  Registrant  of  expenses  incurred  or paid by a  director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in  the
Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      II-4

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES


                  Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of New  York,  State  of New  York on this  23rd day of
April, 1998.

                                            STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.


                                            By: /s/ David Kerner
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               David Kerner
                                               Treasurer



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  Each person  whose  signature  appears  below  appoints  David
Kerner,  his true and  lawful  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  with full power of
substitution  and  resubstitution,  to sign and file  with  the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  any amendments to this Registration  Statement (including
post-effective  amendments),  and  generally  to do anything  else  necessary or
proper in connection therewith.

                  Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the date indicated.

       Signature                Title                             Date
       ---------                -----                             ----


/s/ Lawrence I. Sills           President, Director and Chief     April 23, 1998
--------------------------       Operating Officer
Lawrence I. Sills               (Principal Executive Officer)


/s/ Michael J. Bailey           Vice President Finance and Chief  April 23, 1998
--------------------------       Financial Officer
Michael J. Bailey               (Principal Accounting and
                                 Financial Officer)


--------------------------      Co-Chairman, Director             April 23, 1998
Bernard Fife


/s/ Nathaniel L. Sills          Co-Chairman, Director             April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Nathaniel L. Sills


                                      II-5

<PAGE>



/s/ Marilyn F. Cragin           Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Marilyn F. Cragin



/s/ Arthur D. Davis             Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Arthur D. Davis



                                Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Robert M. Gerrity   


/s/ John L. Kelsey              Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
John L. Kelsey



/s/ Andrew M. Massimilla        Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Andrew M. Massimilla



/s/ Arthur S. Sills             Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Arthur S. Sills



/s/ Robert J. Swartz            Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Robert J. Swartz



/s/ William H. Turner           Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
William H. Turner


                                      II-6

<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

Exhibit
Number                                       Description
-------                                      -----------
   4.1                      Standard Motor Products, Inc. Independent Directors'
                            Stock Option Plan (Incorporated by reference to  the
                            Registrant's  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K for the
                            fiscal year ended December 31, 1996)

   4.2                      The    Registrant's    Restated    Certificate    of
                            Incorporation, defining the rights of holders of the
                            capital stock of the Registrant, dated July 31, 1990

   4.3                      The  Registrant's  Certificate  of  Amendment of the
                            Certificate    of    Incorporation,  dated  February
                            15, 1996

   5                        Opinion  of  Kelley  Drye  &  Warren LLP, Counsel to
                            Registrant

23.1                        Consent   of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  Independent
                            Auditors

23.2                        Consent of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP (included in
                            opinion filed as Exhibit 5)

24                          Powers of Attorney of Directors and Certain Officers
                            of  the  Registrant (included on the signature pages
                            hereof)


                                      II-7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 21005}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS INC", "cik": "0000093389", "assigned-sic": "3690", "irs-number": "111362020", "state-of-incorporation": "NY", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-51619", "film-number": "98608532"}, "business-address": {"street1": "37 18 NORTHERN BLVD", "city": "LONG ISLAND CITY", "state": "NY", "zip": "11101", "phone": "7183920200"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "3718 NORTHERN BLVD", "city": "LONG ISLAND CITY", "state": "NY", "zip": "11101"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 1998
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                         -------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
            -------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           New York                                   11-1362020
---------------------------------        --------------------------------------
 (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)

              37-18 Northern Boulevard, Long Island City, NY 11101
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
                    Independent Directors' Stock Option Plan
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                Lawrence I. Sills
                                    President
                          Standard Motor Products, Inc.
                            37-18 Northern Boulevard
                           Long Island City, NY 11101
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (718) 392-0200
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

====================================================================================================================================
Title of Securities to       Amount to be           Proposed maximum offering     Proposed maximum                  Amount of
be registered                registered             price per share(1)            aggregate offering price(1)       registration fee
                                                                            
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Stock, $2.00          50,000 Shares          $23.2812                      $1,164,060.00                     $343.40
par value

====================================================================================================================================
(1) Estimated  solely for the purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee in
accordance  with  Rules  457(c)  and (h) under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended on the basis of the  average of the high and low prices  reported in the
consolidated reporting system on April 28, 1998.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

                  The document(s)  containing information specified by Part I of
this Form S-8 Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement") will be sent
or given to  participants  in the  Standard  Motor  Products,  Inc.  Independent
Directors'  Stock  Option Plan (the  "Plan"),  as  specified  in Rule  428(b)(1)
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")  under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities  Act"). Such document(s)
are not being filed with the Commission but constitute (along with the documents
incorporated by reference into the Registration  Statement pursuant to Item 3 of
Part II hereof),  a prospectus  that meets the  requirements of Section 10(a) of
the Securities Act.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

                  The  following  documents  have been filed by  Standard  Motor
Products, Inc. (the "Registrant") with the Commission pursuant to the Securities
Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "Exchange   Act")  and  are  hereby
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

                  (a)  Registrant's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the  fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997; and

                  (b) All documents  subsequently  filed by the Registrant  with
the Commission  pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the 1934 Act,
prior to the  filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold,  shall be  deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement and to be a part thereof from the date of filing of such
documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

                  None.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  In 1986 various Sections of Article 7 of the New York Business
Corporation  Law ("BCL") were amended to broaden the  indemnification  rights of
directors,  officers  and  employees.  In 1987 BCL  Section  402(b) was  further
amended to permit a provision to be included in a certificate  of  incorporation
shielding  directors  from  personal  liability  for  breach of their  duties as
directors.  In order to  protect  its  directors,  officers  and  employees,  as
applicable,  to the fullest  extent  permitted  by these  statutory  amendments,
Registrant amended its By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation.

                  In general,  Registrant's amended By-laws provide that, except
to the extent expressly  prohibited by the BCL,  Registrant shall indemnify each
person made or  threatened  to be made a party to, or called as a witness in, or
asked to submit  information  in, any action or proceeding by reason of the fact
that such  person is or was a director  or officer of  Registrant,  or serves or
served, at the request of Registrant,  any other entity in any capacity, against
judgments, fines, penalties, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses,
including   attorneys'  fees,   incurred  in  connection  with  such  action  or
proceeding,  or any appeal therein. This indemnification  requirement covers any
pending or threatened  action,  proceeding,  hearing or  investigation,  whether
civil or criminal,  whether  judicial,  administrative or legislative in nature,
and whether or not in the nature of a direct or shareholders'  derivative action
brought by or on behalf of  Registrant  or any other  corporation  or enterprise
which the director or officer of 

                                      II-1
Registrant serves or has served at Registrant's  request.  Registrant's  amended
By-laws  prohibit  indemnification  if a judgment  or other  final  adjudication
adverse to such person  establishes  that his or her acts were  committed in bad
faith or were the result of active or deliberate dishonesty and were material to
the cause of action so adjudicated,  or that he or she personally gained in fact
a  financial  profit  or other  advantage  to  which  he or she was not  legally
entitled.  The amended By-laws further provide that no indemnification  shall be
required with respect to any settlement or other non-adjudicated  disposition of
any threatened or pending action or proceeding  unless  Registrant has given its
prior consent to such  settlement  or other  disposition.  Registrant's  amended
By-laws  require  Registrant to advance or promptly  reimburse  upon request any
person entitled to indemnification for all expenses,  including attorneys' fees,
reasonably  incurred in  defending  any action or  proceeding  in advance of the
final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by such person to repay
such amount if such person is ultimately not to be entitled to  indemnification;
provided,  however,  that such person  cooperates with any request by Registrant
that  counsel be utilized by the  parties to an action or  proceeding  similarly
situated  unless to do so would be  inappropriate  due to  actual  or  potential
conflicts of interest.

                  Registrant's Certificate of Incorporation was amended to add a
provision  that  the  personal  liability  of the  directors  of  Registrant  be
eliminated  to the fullest  extent  permitted by the  provisions  of BCL Section
402(b).  It was also amended to provide that  Registrant  shall,  to the fullest
extent permitted by Article 7 of the BCL,  indemnify under that statute from and
against any and all of the expenses, liabilities or other matters covered by the
statute,  and the amended provisions of the By-laws,  summarized above,  contain
the detailed terms and conditions under which this  indemnification  requirement
of the Certificate of Incorporation is to be effected.

                  Registrant  maintains an officers'  and  directors'  liability
insurance policy insuring  Registrant's  officers and directors  against certain
liabilities  and  expenses  incurred by them in their  capacities  as such.  The
policy does not reimburse the Registrant for indemnification  obligations to its
officers and directors.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                  Not Applicable.

                                      II-2
ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

Exhibit
Number                           Description
-------                          -----------

   4.1          Standard  Motor  Products,  Inc.  Independent  Directors'  Stock
                Option  Plan  (Incorporated  by  reference  to  the Registrant's
                Annual  Report  on  Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
                31, 1996)

   4.2          The Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, defining
                the rights of holders of the  capital  stock of the  Registrant,
                dated July 31, 1990

   4.3          The Registrant's Certificate of  Amendment of the Certificate of
                Incorporation, dated February 15, 1996

   5            Opinion  of  Kelley  Drye  &  Warren LLP,  Counsel to Registrant

  23.1          Consent of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  Independent Auditors

  23.2          Consent of  Kelley  Drye & Warren LLP (included in opinion filed
                as  Exhibit 5) 

  24            Powers of  Attorney of Directors and Certain Officers  of  the
                Registrant  (included  on the signature pages hereof)

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective  amendment to this Registration  Statement:  (i) to
include any prospectus  required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii)
to reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising  after the effective
date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective  amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement.  Notwithstanding the
foregoing,  any  increase or decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the
total  dollar  value of  securities  offered  would not  exceed  that  which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high and of the estimated  maximum
offering  range  may be  reflected  in the  form of  prospectus  filed  with the
Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate,  the changes in volume
and the  price  represent  no  more  than a 20  percent  change  in the  maximum
aggregate  offering price set forth in the  "Calculation  of  Registration  Fee"
table in the effective registration statement; and (iii) to include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
the  Registration  Statement or any material  change to such  information in the
Registration  Statement;  provided,  however, that subparagraphs (i) and (ii) do
not  apply  if the  information  required  to be  included  in a  post-effective
amendment by those  subparagraphs  is contained in periodic reports filed by the
Registrant  pursuant  to  Section  13  or  15(d)  of  the  1934  Act  that   are

                                      II-3
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; provided, however, that
paragraphs  (a)(1)(i)  and  (a)(1)(ii)  above do not  apply  if the  information
required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is
contained in periodic  reports filed with or furnished to the  Commission by the
Registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a
new Registration  Statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (3) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  (4) That, for the purposes of determining  any liability under
the Securities  Act, each filing of the  Registrant's  annual report pursuant to
Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act (and where applicable, each filing of an
employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the 1934
Act), that it is incorporated by reference in the  Registration  Statement shall
be deemed to be a new Registration  Statement relating to the securities offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (5) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under
the  Securities  Act may be permitted  to  directors,  officers and  controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions described in Item
6 of this Registration Statement, or otherwise,  the Registrant has been advised
that in the opinion of the  Commission  such  indemnification  is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,  unenforceable.  In
the event that a claim for indemnification  against such liabilities (other than
the  payment by the  Registrant  of  expenses  incurred  or paid by a  director,
officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling
person in connection with the securities being registered,  the Registrant will,
unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by  controlling
precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether
such  indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in  the
Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                      II-4
SIGNATURES

                  Pursuant  to the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of New  York,  State  of New  York on this  23rd day of
April, 1998.

                                            STANDARD MOTOR PRODUCTS, INC.

                                            By: /s/ David Kerner
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               David Kerner
                                               Treasurer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  Each person  whose  signature  appears  below  appoints  David
Kerner,  his true and  lawful  attorney-in-fact  and  agent,  with full power of
substitution  and  resubstitution,  to sign and file  with  the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  any amendments to this Registration  Statement (including
post-effective  amendments),  and  generally  to do anything  else  necessary or
proper in connection therewith.

                  Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the date indicated.

       Signature                Title                             Date
       ---------                -----                             ----

/s/ Lawrence I. Sills           President, Director and Chief     April 23, 1998
--------------------------       Operating Officer
Lawrence I. Sills               (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Michael J. Bailey           Vice President Finance and Chief  April 23, 1998
--------------------------       Financial Officer
Michael J. Bailey               (Principal Accounting and
                                 Financial Officer)

--------------------------      Co-Chairman, Director             April 23, 1998
Bernard Fife

/s/ Nathaniel L. Sills          Co-Chairman, Director             April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Nathaniel L. Sills

                                      II-5
/s/ Marilyn F. Cragin           Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Marilyn F. Cragin

/s/ Arthur D. Davis             Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Arthur D. Davis

                                Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Robert M. Gerrity   

/s/ John L. Kelsey              Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
John L. Kelsey

/s/ Andrew M. Massimilla        Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Andrew M. Massimilla

/s/ Arthur S. Sills             Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Arthur S. Sills

/s/ Robert J. Swartz            Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
Robert J. Swartz

/s/ William H. Turner           Director                          April 23, 1998
--------------------------
William H. Turner

                                      II-6
EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

Exhibit
Number                                       Description
-------                                      -----------
   4.1                      Standard Motor Products, Inc. Independent Directors'
                            Stock Option Plan (Incorporated by reference to  the
                            Registrant's  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K for the
                            fiscal year ended December 31, 1996)

   4.2                      The    Registrant's    Restated    Certificate    of
                            Incorporation, defining the rights of holders of the
                            capital stock of the Registrant, dated July 31, 1990

   4.3                      The  Registrant's  Certificate  of  Amendment of the
                            Certificate    of    Incorporation,  dated  February
                            15, 1996

   5                        Opinion  of  Kelley  Drye  &  Warren LLP, Counsel to
                            Registrant

23.1                        Consent   of  KPMG  Peat  Marwick  LLP,  Independent
                            Auditors

23.2                        Consent of Kelley Drye & Warren LLP (included in
                            opinion filed as Exhibit 5)

24                          Powers of Attorney of Directors and Certain Officers
                            of  the  Registrant (included on the signature pages
                            hereof)

                                      II-7