Indianapolis Times, Volume 40, Number 239, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 February 1929 — Page 15

Auto Show Section

STRAIGHT 8 IN CAR FIELD FOR REAL PURPOSE Supplies Demand for More Speed and Power and Agility in Traffic. PRICE IS COMING DOWN Marmon President Tells of Advances Achieved in Recent Years. BY G. M. WILLIAMS President Marmon Motor Car Company Just five years ago at the Indianapolis show, two manufacturers displayed straight-eight automobiles. A year later, the number had grown to twelve. This week at the coliseum. out of forty-three manufacturers repref-e*.ted, there are twenty-seven eigt it-cylinder cars, of ■which twenty-two are straighteights. To my way of thinking, the answer is in a combination of circumstances or steps forward rather than in any one single factor. I might cite, for example, the progress of aux>motlv engineering, the buyer’s demand for a smoother and more powerful motor car. the necessity for more speed on the highway and more agility in traffic, and the marked improvement in manufacturing methods. Through the development of the straight-eight was foreseen years ago. it was not until two years ago that this type of automobile was brought within the price range where quantity production was possible. Now more than half the manufacturers are making cars with eight-cylinder engines. Fathered at Speedway It might be said that the straighteight was fathered by the speedway, although at first its feats of speed and endurance were not taken seriously by Mr. Average Motorist, who regarded the eight as something far beyond his means. But suddenly it jumped into prominence, as the hand in hand developments of manufacturers and engineers took definite form and brought the eight from the $6,000 or $7,000 class into the more moderate price ranges. Here at the Indianapolis show, the eight has its place as an integral part of the automobile industry’s contribution to transportation. No longer does the price barrier exist for those who want an eight, tor in this day of specialized quantity production, the mattdt of cylinders alone is far from the governing factor in the price of an automobile. Now, consider the matter of intercity automobile travel, and the matter of traffic in cities such as Chicago, or even Indianapolis. The man with an old-fashioned automobile wouldn’t stand a chance of staying in the procession on a boulevard or on a well-traveled highway. Faster Cars Needed It was a problem for automobile manufacturers to build cars that would keep step with highway and traffic congestion. The solution was faster, and more agile automobiles and automobiles of that type meant eights. The engineers told us that, and then proceeded to design eights that would be able to negotiate boulevards, traffic signals and high speed roads with the minimum of gear-shifting and driving vrorry. Engineers regard the straightteight as the third great automobile development. The four-cylinder engine made the automobile dependable: the six made it powerful. The eight added the factors of Smoothness and flexibility. To bring the eight into the popular price ranges and to make it a practical car for everyday public use required a great readjustment of automobile factories and equipment. Much of the machinery needed to produce other types of cars was not suitable to manufacture eights and therefore was replaced by newer equipment. So the eight, in addition to being the most modern of automobiles, is likewise manufactured with the most up-to-date equipment.

Not Too Expensive Many have the idea that the eight is an expensive car to operate. Here again engineers step forward to tell us that the cost of operating an automobile is not governed by its number of cylinders, but by its power. An eight, then, is as economical to operate as a. six of equal power, or a four. Eight-cylinder development has passed through its critical stages, and its principles has become definitely accepted by manufacturer dealer and buyer, looking into the future I might say that this development is by i o means in its final stages, for we are yet to see an eight in the vast market that exists for automobiles selling below SI,OOO That the eight soon will invade the region of the inexpensive automobiles is a certainty. Manufacturing obstacles that existed even a year ago have been removed. The public has seen a demonstration of the eight, and has approved it. The engineer has done his work thoroughly. For more than two years Marmon has concentrated its resources on straight-eights and has succeeded in achieving manufacturing economies and engineering advancements that have placed the straight-eltfht in a position where it is available to the more moderatepriced buyer.

Pull Leased Wiro Service ot the halted Press Association

High Lights of Indianapolis Annual Automobile Exposition Reading from left to right . top, neiv series Marmon 68 five-passenger sedan and Graham-Paige Model 827. Center, Leona Lane , the new Oakland All-American Six, and Dita. Parol. The girls are with Paramount Pictures. The new Black Hawk five-passenger Sedan. Bottom, Studehaker Eight Brougham for five persons.

■'* < . tiich in turn are emnloved in' the - Instead of constants chokint? his eration. The car of 1929 must offer

SALVAGE PLANT SAVESFORTUNE Hudson Motor Cos. Gainer by Millions. A number of interesting facts are given in the story of how the Hudson Motor Car Company, by salvaging ordinary discarded materials, saves more than three million dollars annually. At the company’s Detroit plants an entire two-story building and $50,000 worth of machinery are devoted to the single purpose of salvaging the wood of packing cases and crates in which supplies and parts are received. The sides of the cases are cut by power saws to standard lengths, which in turn are employed in the making of containers for goods shipped but by the company. The cut-off wood ends are conveyed to giant lumber hogs that grind them into bits the size of shelled corn. Another machine, provided with powerful magnets, extracts nails and other metal parts from the chips. The ends are burned under the boilers, at a saving of 300 tons of coal a month, and the nails are sold as scrap. It is said that the salvaging of lumber alone nets the company a profit of SIOO,OOO a year.

TIRE BILL MAY SOAR Cotton Growers Ask Duty on Product. Bu Times Special WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.—Thir-ty-two million dollars a year w'ill be added to the American automobile tire bill if congress grants the request of Mississippi, California, and Arizona cotton growers for duties ranging from 7 to 24 cents a pound on long staple cotton, according to a brief of the Rubber Association of America, submitted to the house ways and means committee. Five hundred thousand bales of cotton are used annually by the tiremanufacturers, of which 75 per cent is long staple Thread manufacturers from New' England. New Jersey, and New York also appeared in opposition to the duties, and warned that the 5 cent spool of thread will disappear from the market if the tariff is granted FORD OUTPUT SOARS 132.078 Cars Turned Out Last Month. T V With the production of 132.078 Ford cars last month the company almost equaled its record output of January. 1923, when approximately 142,000 were made. The total production for that year was 1.990.000 cars. The company is turning out. 7.000 units a day and the first millionth Model A car was completed on Feb. 4. fifteen months after the introduction of the model. It required seven years and two months to produce the first million Model T Fords. 5 YEARS FOR WILLIAMS Marmon President to Celebrate His Anniver.>ary in May. G. M. Williams will observe his fifth anniversary as president of Marmon in May of this year. Under his direction, the Marmon company has made its greatest prosperity, having become one of the largest manufacturers of straight-eight automobiles in the industry.

The Indianapolis Times

BLACKHAWK, COMPANION OF STUTZ, IS ON DISPLAY

‘Smaller Brother’ Is Lower in Price, but Quality Is Exceptional, An entirely new car—the Blackhawk—and an even greater Stutz, with outstanding improvements, are presented for the first time at the 1929 automobile show by the Stutz Motor Car Company of America, Inc. For the first time in its history, Stutz is showing two different cars. The Blackhawk is the companion car of the Stutz Eight, built of Stutz quality throughout, somewhat smaller in size and lower in price. Built on a chassis with a wheelbase of inches, the Blackhawk line comprises ten distinctive body styles. The price range of the new r car is $2,345 to $2,955 f. o. b. factory. The most important improvements in the new Stutz eight include a transmission of four forward speeds with two silent gears, a vacuum booster and brake installation that gives anew meaning to decelleration; a gasoline pump that insures perfect carburetion at all times and at ani' speed: chromium plating of all exterior metal parts, and the “Noback.” a device that automatically prevents backward motion of the car except when the gears are in reverse position. The Stutz line, with thirty-two models, has a price range from $3,395 to $6,895, f. o. b. factory. Latest Designs Shown Both the Stutz and the Blackhawk are of most modem design, with features of safety that take first rank in the industry. The cars are Indicative ot Stutz engineering skill and reflect the ability of the Indianapolis factory quickly to adopt the newest advancements in motor car manufacturing. Because of its newness, the larger share of interest is centered in the Blackhawk. This latest car of motordom derives its name from the famous Indian chieftain of the Sa and Fox tribes of early American history. The car is the result of more than three years of experimental rind development work in the Stutz factory and testing on the Indianapolis Speedway.

Emphasis on Comfort

The Blackhawk is offered either aa a six or an eight at the customer s cption. With the exception of the power plants, the specifications of the Blackhawk Six or Eight are identical throughout and the engines are of similar power and performing ability. The prices are the same. Greater emphasis than ever before has been placed on comfort in

INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1929

the design of bodies for both Stutz and Blackhawk cars. Both the front and rear seats arc doubly adjustable—they may be moved forward and back for leg room and the backs of both seats may be adjusted for the most comfortable sitting posture. The interiors of the bodies are of high quality, with fabrics of highest grade and deep, resilient cushions. The hardware and fittings strike a new' note in refinement and luxury.

COLOR HARMONY IS NEW FORD FEATURE

Careful Tests and Plans Necessary to Find Combinations. The new model A Ford cars being displayed this week at the Indianapolis auto show' have a variety of color harmonies and combinations that are distinctive among Ameri-can-made cars of the moderate price | field. I Few people outside the Ford organization realize how much planning. testing and experimenting go j into the preparation of these Ford | color schemes. An entire department, in the Ford j factories near Detroit is devoted to : manufacturing, testing and blending the Ford pyroxylin with which model A cars are finished. In this department are a number of remarkable devices for testing pyroxylin under all conceivable conditions of vrear and exposure to the elements. There is one machine which reproduces any sort of weather that may be desired, from the extreme heat of midsummer to the fcelow-zero weather of midwinter in our farthest north climates. Within a period of two or three days, panels of Model A Ford body metal finished in lacquer can be subjetced to weather exposure equal to an entire year of actual outdoor use of the car in the hands of its owner. In this paint department color experts aie constantly developing new color combinations and applying them to Ford cars. The Ford display includes Ford town sedan tde luxe fordor*. new Fora cabriolet (collapsible coupe*, these models being shown for first time in Indianapolis at this show: sport roadster, standard coupe, tudor. foraor, sport coupe, also in the commercial display: de luxe panel, station wagon, one and onehalf ton truck with closed cab and stake body, pickup with open cab,

The bodies op the Stutz cars are splendid examples of the craftsmanship of Le Baron. Fleetwood and Weymann. As in the case of the Blackhawk line, the Weymannbodied Stutz cars will sell at approximately composite body prices. As the pioneer in the use of nonshattering glass, Stutz is. of course, using safety glass, of Triolex make, in the windshields, doors and windows of ail Stutz and Blackhawk models.

REO ADDS TO ITS LINE Speed Wagons With Gold Crown Engine Arc on Market. The Reo Motor Car Company has added anew line of speed wagons with a Reo gold crown engine. These trucks, with capacities of one and one-half, two and three tons, are presented in eight wheel-base lengths, ranging from 134 to 179 inches. The new engine has seven-bear-ing crank shaft, full pressure lubrication and four forward speeds. Four-wheel brakes are of the twoshoe. internal hydraulic type.

Auto Factories Work at Top Speed in Detroit Area; Sales Are Brisk

increased Pay Rolls Shown by Many of Larger Car Plants. Bp Times special DETROIT, Feb. 23.—Less severe weather has had a freshening effect on retail sales in the Detroit territory. it has unblocked some of the used cars and given the dealers a chance to take in more. When it is realized that the industry, on the average, has to buy 1.7 cars to sell one. the importance of the used car movement is readily seen. There has been consistent volume cf wholesale business, the dealers generally taking on cars in anticipation of the buying demand that seems bound to develop with the approach of spring. Factories are working at top speed, and retail men are working to build up prospect lists. Factory activity is evident ir; in-

SAFETY ABOVE ALL, 1929 AUTO SLOGAN

AUTOMATIC CHOKE IS NEW ESSEX DEVICE Feature Eliminates Annoyance to Drivers in Winter. Practically all new auto models at the Indianapolis motor show embody features designed to reduce driving strain. Noteworthy is the new Essex, equipped with an automatic choking device. This innovation eliminates much annoyance usually experienced in winter weather. Instead of constantly choking his motor after starting it on a cold morning, the driver of the new Essex need only pull out the choke button-half way and from then on the choking action Is entirely automatic and closes when the motor becomes warmed thoroughly. This is accomplished by means of a balanced butterfly . valve on the air intake, Which controls, the amount of air taken into the carburetor. The valve is opened gradually by the force of suction as the speed, of the motor, is increased, providing the proper fuel mixture ■when a steady driving speed is attained.

m SALES MOUNT Dodge, Studebaker. Olds Show Increases. Shipments of Dodge Brothers cars and trucks for January exceeded the previous month by 66 per cent. Studebaker commercial car sa.es for 1928 showed an increase of 57.9 per cent over 1927. Oldsmobile plans building 11.000 cars this month, a recent schedule following production of 6,500 motors last month, which was also a record for the rst month of the year. Franklin production for last January was 81 per cent higher than for January of last year, and surpassed any single month in lour years. Pierce-Arrow notes a general increase of 12 per cent on foreign exports for 1928. with Candaian shipments increasing 15 per cent over the previous year’s figures.

creased pay rolls. With, the concentration df Durant at Lansing, the capital is establishing new high records every week, and is employing more than a third more men than were Working a year ago. Chevrolet, Buick and AC Spark Plug at Flint, are going full blast and the Fisher Body operations there are already at peak. Pontiac's four major companies. Oakland, Fisher Body, General Motors Truck and Wilson Foundry and Machine, are running at top speed. In Detroit the last weekly increase reported by the Employers' Association was 2.617 men. bringing the total to 292.228. This is 66536 more than were working here a .year ago. Accessions to the Ford pay rolls are being made every day and stakes are set for a daily production of 8.500 cars in domestic plants. Three new steel furnaces at the Rouge plant will add 30 per cent to Ford's’ steel output, which may reach 600 ,000""tons this year. In-

Radio and Aviation

Entered Aa Second-Cleee Matter at postoSice Indianapolis.

Increasing Jams in Traffic Put Greater Problems Up to Factories. BA' BERT DINGLEY. Assistant to President Stutz Motor Car Company. With almost 25,000,000 passenger cars and trucks traveling on our highways, there are certain fundamental factors of automobile design that must be given serious consideration. The car of 1929 must offer more than transportation—it must offer safe transportation, or rather, safer transportation. In my opinion, 1929 will be the year the public will demand safety.

luxury and styl' more than ever be fore. Other factor such as speec economy of opera tion and depend ability are taker for granted, bu with the crowdec conditions c American high ways, automobile built along th lines of twent; years ago will no do. Twenty years ago. but a handful of

Bert Dingley

motor cars were op the roads. Cars then could be built high. There was little need for protection against side collision, because the ‘’alleyjumper'’ and the “traffic-light beater” were unknown species. In still another way Nash eliminates effort. The front end of the car must rest on steering knuckles. At these points Nash uses ball bear- ' ings, transmitting th*? weight of the car to the wheels with a minimum taxicab. And to make control of the car easier, use of an inclined king pin brings the axis of the Knuckle pin and the plane of the front wheel to intersect at approximately road surface. This reduces road shocks to a minimum and controls the car perfectly at high speeds. 67 Acres for Marmon Plants Marmon plants cover sixty-seven acres of ground with more than 1.000,000 square feet of floor space.

creases of S3O each in the list prices of the Tudor sedan and the business coupe were not unexpected. Chrysler is to produce the PI. - mouth in what is said to be the largest one-story production plant in the world, covering 34.88 acres. The main structure is three-quar-ters of a mile long. It lies in a newly developed manufacturing district. Chevrolet is working at the rate of well over 6,000 units daily and Willys-Overiand is turning them out at the rate of 2,000 or more every da jx Reo has announced that anew car is on the way. but at this writing no definite details have been grxn out. Dealers have been notified that beginning March 1 they will receivee their usual quota of cars, “plus one more.” Packard considerably is enlarging service facilities in Detroit. Anew sales and service building will go up on the east side of the city, 316x78 feet.

MOTOR SHOW WILL OPEN IN RIOT OF COLOR Decorations of Eighteenth Annual Exhibition on Lavish Scale. MANY CARS DISPLAYED Noted Orchestra to Play; Most of Models Are in Place. With a wealth of ballroom decorative effects as a. background for all the new models of motordom, the eighteenth annual . how of the Indianapolis Automobile Trade Association will open Monday night in the auto show building at state ing touches Thursday and the first The decorations and setting, more elaborate than any in the association's history, received finishing touches Thursday and the rst exhibits moved in Friday. More were placed In position today and by Monday afternoon every bit of space in the vast struct urc will be filled with cars and accessories. Quiet gold and lau will be the predominating color scheme. Sammy Watkins and his broadcasting orchestra of Cleveland will provide the music, playing each night. The ten-piece orchestra, which recently closed a long engagement at the Gibson House, Cincinnati, is known to radio fans throughout the nation. Many Cars On Display Cars to be seen at. the Indianapolis show this year include practically all those on display at the New York ancl Chicago shows, and each exhibit will include from two to four models. The list includes Auburn, Buick, Blackhawk, Cadillac, Chandler, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Deusenberg, DeSoto. Dodge, Durant, Erskine, Essex, Ford, Franklin. GrahamPaige. Hudson. Hupmobile, Jordan, LaSalle. Lincoln. Marmon. Nash, Oakland. Oldsmobile, Packard. Peerless, Pierce-Arrow. Plymouth. Pontiac, Reo. Studebaker, Stutz, WillysKntght and Whippet. John Orman, show manager, and Ft. H. Losey, trade association president, under whose direct supervision the exposition is being conducted, have left nothing undone looking to a successful week, and only a fair break in weather is needed, they say, to make the show one of the biggest and best ever held. Among important improvements to be seen are vertical radiator shutters. new windshield details, chromium plating that will not tarnish, non-shatterablc glass, adjustable seats and removable arm rests. • Some Prices Cut Price reduction have been made in established lines of cars, and many mechanical improvements and refinements made. More thoroijgh attention has been paid to both exterior and interior tody design in the lower-priced cars. Grace has been added to the lines wherever possible and the skilled designers have accomplished wonders, for until recently the shorter wheelbases have been considered an obstacle to satisfactory car beautification. Lowering of body heights has helped to bring the cars into better proportions and the study of streamline effects, fender treatment, radiator design, body curves, dolor combinations and kindred problems, heretofore lavished without stint on the costlier cars, has been turned with gratifying results to the less expensive models. More Comfort Given Interior treatment has provided materially more room and more passenger comfort. The low price division, aside front two manufacturers, has gone definitely to six cylinders. At the same time the eight-cylinder car, until within caparatively recent days exclusively identified with the highprice class, has begun a downward spread into the medium-price field, which the sixes have been dominating, and it is rumored that before the year is over the low. or rather the medium low price field, also will be invaded. ROADS TO BE MARKED Metal Signs to Replace BancLng of Telegraph Poles. New metal road markers will replace the system of banding telegraph poles in New J or sey, ** has been announced by the New Jersey state highway commission. The new markers will be placed in posltiou within the next few w>-ks. They will be erected on steel poles, three feet six inches high, along the right of way. Warning of intersections where a right or left turn is made will be given by markers carrying an “R” or “L". In addition to carrying state route numbers the markers on roads which serve as transcontinental highways will bear the federal numbers on extra shields. TRUNK RACK ON HUDSON Custom Appearance Is Given to Car by Innovation. Several of the sixty-four improvements that mark the Greater Hudson of 1929 are primarily concerned with appearance and the comfort and convenience of the bodies. On* of these, giving a decided custom appearance to the car, is the addition of a trunk rack as standard equipment on all models.