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OVERLAND FOUR IN THE MOJAVE DESERT COUNTRY OF CALIFORNIA.
cot:
CAR IMPROVEMENTS
War Influence Is Apparent in
Latest Auto Models.
EXPERT GIVES SUMMARY
Editor of Motor Points Out Many
Betterments in Car chassis,
- and Engines.
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 21, 1919.
SHOWS BRINGING OU
V -
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BY H. A. TAJIAJS'TOC'S.
Managing Kditor of Motor.
tYlille it is a little too early to ex
pect the automotive engineering
world to have recovered from the
shock of war, which called for pro
duction rather than design, the New
York: and .'hicago automobile shows
nevertheless will give us a really
cm conception of what has been
done to make our passenger .automo
bile better. Briefly, the greatest at
tention has been given to body de
sign, to engines and to chassis de
tail, while clutches, transmissions,
steering gear and axles already high
ly refined, have received practically
no attention.
There are cerin movements ap
parent with respect to universal
ioints, and to wheels, but aside from
,ihese the underneath parts of the car
are as they were. This is not to say
they will not be bettered in a year
or so, but that there has not been
the timo to permit engineers to get
to every part, of the car.
On every hand the cost of keeping
a car is spoken of more than the
cost of buying. I look forward to see
Ing a great many small lightweight
cars, such as the average man can
afford to buy and, above all, to oper
ate. Europe has more than 40 of
these makes, which if produced in
quantity here would be the cheapest
eort of cars.
Many Smaller Refinements.
Tn looking over the new produc
tions one is impressed with the great
attention to the smaller items of
equipment, to such things, as doors
and door bandies, cowl boards, in
struments and tendering. Changes of
this sort are not costly and are made
much more easily ttian one involving
1he making of a new, expensive die.
tn the desire to give the ear a sem
blance of newness the body has been
attacked and there is a bewildering
array of "conceptions."
l''or the most part the designers
have adhered to the basic lines shown
last year in such numbers. This body
lias a high hood, usually "With an an
gle at cacn side, the line of the angle
in. . ling the top edge of the body.
Ioods have more louvres, windshield
supports are more substantial and
shields are much in evidence. A few
concerns have taken up small built
in side pieces attached to the wind
shield. This form will undoubtedly
be standard equipment in a few years.
A few years ago car-makers were
producing 10 per cent inclosed mod
els and the remainder open. This
w as a fair average. Today, as one
will see at the shows, the incloseo
models will constitute two-thirds of
the models and in production close to
40 per cent. The sedan is the most
popular of the family cars and the
brougham or town car leads among
the chauffeur-driven models. It is
apparent that the coupelet, so-cailed,
lias had a very short existence; just
why it is very difficult to see,, for it
seemed to serve the purpose of the
coupe and at the same time possessed
other advantages.
fuel Problem Tackled.
There are considerably more over
head-valve engines and those that
are not new have been improved, es
pecially so far as lubrication is con
cerned. Power output is greater on
the average engines, though dis
placement lias not varied much. The
fuel problem has brought about a
vast number of changes in manifold
ing and practically every engine has
some means of heating the mixture.
Some wonderful examples of ad
vanced engineering will appear at the
shows. I refer to such new prac
tices as bearings without shims, and
new designs of high-pressure oiling
systems, new detail improvements in
valve gear, and what cannot be seen
new metals. Most of these really
new things have cpme as a result of
war expedience, and one will find
that where such changes are noted
it is on products of concerns that
were doing war work on engines.
The detachable cylinder head, vacuum
fuel feed, battery ignition. 6-volt sep
arate unit starting and lighting are
features that have not changed.
Aside from engine development, I
helieve the universal and the wheels
have been given greatest considera
tion. There are considerably more
fabric universals than beore, and It
looks as though this type will take
the place of the all-metal joint for
certain installations where the shaft
angularity is not great. The show
cars will lor tne most, pari De iniea
with metal wheels though wood is
till the standard for regular produc
tion. We can look for turther de
velopment in metal wheels for pas
senger cars with the disc steadily
gaining in favor.
ACE QUITS AIR TO SELL TIRES
Ii. C. Simon, Credited With Seven
Planes, Joins Firestone.
Xj. C. Simon, who, as a lieutenant
In the 1st pursuit group, United States
army aviation service, was officially
credited with bringing down seven
German planes, has entered upon a
business career in which he can for
get the thrills of flying. He is sell
ing tires in Columbus, Ohio, his home
town.
Simon, refusing to be tempted by
numerous offers to Kive exhibition
flights and several opportunities to
go on the lecture platform, recently
joined the sales staff of the Firestone
branch in Columbus.
His decorations include the distin
guished service cross and the croix
de guerre.
View on recent record-setting trip to the scenic Big Bear lake country made by Alan M. Kernald, Willys-Over
land publicity director for the Pacific coast. Desert or mountains, it was all the same to the lightweight Overland
with its remarkable new three-point cantilever spring suspension.
SOME SCHEME, IS THIS!
SPECIAL .SNOW PLOW TO KEEI
SXOQ17ALMIK OPEN.
Aiivaj, That's the Plan They Arc
Considering in Seattle, and
It May 11c Good One.
SEATTLK. "Wash., Dec. 20. Plans
for the maintenance of traffic over
the Sunset highway and the Snoqual
mie pass throughout the winter took
a definite step forward last week
with the presentation to the Seattle
Motor Car Dealers' association of de
tails and drawings of a machine
which it is believed will do the work
and at a minimum of cost.
D. L. Kllis, assistant engineer of
the Great Northern Railway company,
has been working on the scheme for
a long time, and recently obtained
from the General Electric company
the blue prints and estimates of the'
cost of the machine which will do the
snow clearing. He submitted them
to the association, whose members
are active supporters of the plan.
Inasmuch as" the machine is new in
every detail and will require the con
struction of special electric batteries,
motors and gas engine, in addition to
every detail of body and tractor
rollers, it is not believed possible to
,have it ready this year, but the men
who are advocating the scheme are
going ahead with the idea of being
prepared to keep the pass open dur
ing the entire winter of 1920-21.
The first snow plow will cost ap
proximately $35,000, and will weigh
40.000 pounds complete. It will have
separate motor for each side tractor
and one for the rotary fan, according
to the advance information furnished
the association by Mr. Kills. It will
cut a path through four feet of snow
to a width of nine feet, and do It at a
four-mile clip.
Electrical experts, especially men
connected with the sale and distribu
tion of electric automobiles, are
agreed that the machine, if properly
constructed, would be practical. To
this has been added the indorsement
of good roads workers everywhere,
who are desirous of seeing the pass
kept open.
no other vehicles appeared in sight.
Between Cincinnati and Connersville
many tortuous little grades with
sharp turns about every quarter of a
mile were encounterejd. These tested
the endurance and pick-up of the
Essex to the uttermost, but the motor
never faltered.
In speaking of the performance, the
Cincinnati Enquirer said: "The Essex
proved its roadability and going at
a steady gait up and down hill held
the highways over ruts and bumps.
Not a single adjustment was made
and no stops would have been neces
sary had the puncture not occurred.
The record certainly speaks for the
endurance and ability of the car with
Its light weight and spring construc
tion on a demonstration that will be
difficult to surpass by any one."
FRANKLIN REAL PIONEER
CAR FIRST IX MANY FEATURES
NOW GENERALLY USED.
FORD MAN OPENS STREET
SHOVEL AND CAR USED TO RE
MOVE SNOW DRIFTS.
ESSEX SETS BOM RECORD
NEW MARK EOR CINCINNATI TO
INDIANAPOLIS RUN".
Among Them Are the Valvc-in-Head
Motor, Light Weight and
Six-Cylinder Engine.
"What is believed to be a record in
pioneering the way in the autobmo
blle industry has been achieved by
the Franklin car. Many of the fea
tures of the first Franklin models are
just now coming into popular usage.
The Franklin company built the
first four-cylinder automobile in
America, the first six-cylinder car In
this country and one of the first air
cooled automobile engines, the first
to be used commercially.
Franklin was flrst to adopt scien
tific light weight, about which other
manufacturers are only now coming
to say so much. It was the first to
recognize the superiority of valve-ln-
head construction another feature
other makers are Just coming to,
whereas the first Franklin, built 17
years ago, had it.
The Franklin was flrst to replace
the jerky, uneven spark cut-out of
early days with throttle control. It
was flrst to use the float-feed carbu
retor, flrst to adopt full elliptic
springs and was the first car built
without radius rods and torque tubes.
The laminated wood frame is and
always was an excluivt Franklin
feature. Franklin was first to adopt
automatic lubrication, automatic
spark advance, intake yoke heater,
electric carburetor primer, wick oil
ing and wide doors and was first to
introduce the V-type windshield, a
French design, in thii country.
Distance or 3 38 Miles Is Made in
Surprising Running Time of
Five Hours, 50 Minutes. '
A new road record for the run from
Cincinnati to Indianapolis and return
was established November IS by Ted
Byrne in an Essex when he made the
238 miles in the amazing running time
of five hours and 50 minutes. During
this time the motor was kept run
ning continuously and the gear was
never taken out of high. The car
carried three passengers besides the
driver and on the trip back to Cln
cinnati averaged 17 miles to the gal
Ion of gasoline, according to word
received here by C. L. Boss of the
C. L. Boss Automobile company, dis
trlbutor for the Essex.
More gasoline was used on the
journey to Indianapolis as the motor
was kept running during luncheon
and while a tire change was being
made, so that the average was cut
down to 17 miles to the gallon.
The car left Cincinnati at exactly
6 o'clock in the morning. Indianapolis
was reached at 9:43, 26 minutes being
taken out near Connersville for
changing and mounting a punctured
tire. After 11 minutes for luncheon.
the return journey was started.
The roads were covered with frozen
ruts and choppy hills and,, to make
the remarkable time achieved, Byrne
had to keep the Essex up to 30 and 60
miles an hour on the open road when
HERE'S THE VERY LATEST IN STUDEBAKERS.
WW SSSSS!!
SSssSs MM' MMS
Manager of Portland Branch Fin
ishes Task and Other Travelers
Profit from Ills Enterprise.
Stephen A. Stellwagen, manager of
the Ford Motor company branch, has
the reputation of always putting over
anything he starts to do. He did it
last Wednesday in a job of ptreet
clearing that kept him busy with
shovel joined 4n the work of plow
ing a roadway through Bybee avenue
with his trusty tin lizzie. When
Stellwagen came to Portland he found
an attractive home out near Reed col
lege and Wednesday morning when
he started for his office he found the
car burled in a snowbank that had
blocked the way to the garage. So he
brought a shovel from the basemen
and soon had the garage opened, then
started to break the road with the
car. It didn't work very well, bu
by dint of continuous shoveling and
repeated attacks he put in a busy
day and in the afternoon succeeded
in clearing the way to Milwaukie
street. Owing to his industry the
way was opened for neighbors and
the delivery cars and dairy deliveries
on runners found one street In which
they could come and go without being
marooned.
This is not the first time Mr. Stell
wagon has been obliged to clear snow
from his pathway In a city where
such things are not supposed to occur.
He was sent to Louisville by his com
pany for a time, and had Just about
gained a residence there when a
storm came along unannounced and
blocked traffic. He is now contem
plating plans for a snowplow designed
for attachment to automobiles.
BIG FIELD OPEN TO TRICKS
Advent of Pneumatic Truck Tires
Benefits Farmers.
The automobile lesson has been
pretty well learned m its fundamen
tal essentials, according to John W.
Maguire, president of the Mid-West
Rubber association, but the farmer
has still to grasp all that the new
means of locomation can do for him.
"The automobile and the telephone
have removed . the isolation from
which the average farm suffered for
generations," says Mr. Maguire. "But
the farmer has only begun to use the
automobile to the extent and in the
many forms of its usefulness. It is
A Place of- Distinction
for the Cleveland
America has given welcome, in no mlstakable terms, to the
new Cleveland Six. This car, sensation of the year in the world
of motordom, found a place waiting for it, a place of distinction.
The Cleveland Six is offered now in two
Indeed, it establishes its own place. For
there has been no other light car of similar qual
ity at similar price. There is' no other now.
The Cleveland Six, product of men skilled
in the design and building of fine cars, reflects
in every detail the genius and sincerity of its
makers. Underneath its beautiful body is-a
cnassi which performs. It -doesn't merely
mn. It's alive with power and speed.
open styles of unusual comfort, splendid
design and excellent finish the five-passenger
touring car and three-rpassenger roadster.
The two handsome, Cleveland closed
cars, the five-passehger sedan and four-passenger
tioupe, will soon be ready for
delivery.
MODELS AND PRICES
Tourinjt Cari Five Paaaenfter) $1385
Sedan (Five Passenger)
(A1J prices F. O
Roadster (Three Passeager) $1385
Coupe (Four Paenftef
B. Factory
TWIN STATES MOTOR CAR CO.
Distributors
AT SIXTEENTH ST,
THE CLEVELAND
ALDER
A UTOMOBILE
PORTLAND-
COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO
still pretty largely a personal and
family convenience on the great run
of American farms. I am not speak
ing of tractors, either, which is a
subject by itself. As a tire manu
facturer. I do not presume to go into
that question." Mr. Maguire Is vice
president and general manager of the
Portage Rubber company.
"I want to see the farmers use
trucks more and use more trucks.
With dependable pneumatic tires
giving economical and satisfactory
service on all styles of truck, and
with trucks the ideal bridge to con
nect the two extremes of automobile
service which he has already adopted,
the tractor and the passenger car, Jt
seems to me that the last gap in the
farmers' road to deliverance from
drudgery has been filled. I believe
the farm will soon see as many uses
of trucks, all kinds of trucks, as the
manufacturing industrial plant. With
my own company, we are making all
arrangements to care for this grow
ing demand and every tire manufac
turer as well as truck builder should
encourage it likewise."
Never walk benind a street car
without looking carefully for auto
mobiles or other street care coining
from the other direction. It is much
better to walk a lUtle farther to the
corner before crossing.
HllHlllllllllll
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V
STCOTT
Buy Larger Six" or "Lighter Six" according
to your needs but buy WESTCOTT in either
case for the sake of those many extra miles!
UNITED MOTORS COMPANY,
Oregon Distributors
529 Burnside Street. Portland, Oregon
JVew morlcl 20 Vfght fx oM ly Oregon Motor Car company to Albert
Rldsviay. iliU i tttc tint of LUc uy tuudcla to be. delivered here.
1 1 9
REO
Of course, you have eaten V ogans Candies.
You have stepped into your favorite confec
tioner's and said. "A box of Vogans" and
they delighted HER.
The success of the Vogan Candy company has been due
to the ability of its management, quality of its products,
judicious advertising and a maximum percentage of
efficiency in every department of its business.
Not the least important item is the matter of deliveries to
maintain the highest possible service to dealers in Port
land and neighboring towns.
Reliability, economy and speed are the demands to be
met by their delivery equipment. With two REO three
fourths ton SPEED WAGONS all of these are accom
plished in a highly satisfactory manner.
It is a significant fact that in every line of business
throughout the United States where deliveries are an
important factor the REO three-fourths ton SPEED
WAGON is invariably represented. It may be but a
single unit or, as in some instances, a fleet of forty. In
Portland a department store operates a fleet of nine
REO SPEED WAGONS.
It is rarely ne can offer immediate deliv
eries it so happens AT THIS TIME. We
advise you to get your REO SPEED
WAGON now, because this condition will
not obtain for long.
Northwest Auto Co.
"The Line Complete"
Alder at Eighteenth Portland, Oregon
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