New-York tribune., 1908-12-24
MCGOWAN TO OPEN SHOW
CARS FOR ALL POCKETS.
c. Il. Duryea Talks on Tendencies
of Automobile Construction.


Aldermen. will open the automobile show to be
held Under the auspices of the American Motor
Car Manufacturers Association the Grand Cen
traI Palace on New Years Eve. and following
days Mr. MCGOWAN accepted the invitation to
represent the city government, as Mayor Mcclellan
will be absent from the city at the time
The show will be opened o'clock In the even
ing. In the afternoon a private view Will be held
for which three Thousand invitations nave beeh
issued TO city officials judges state Senators
and Assemblymen, members and. officials of the
Automobile Club of America and the officers OF
all automobile clubs allied with the American
Automobile Association. including the Long Island
Automobile Club
From latest reports there win he 301 eEh2.-o-s -
the show. made UP Of 81 manufacturers of Amerl-
cars Il commercial vehicle builders, II makers
OF foreign and go manufacturers OF motors
and accessories The value of the exhibition IS
placed at a0O0OO0 The lowest priced car to be
shown will sell for s15O while the highest priced
will be offered at $4,000.
The annual luncheon of the American Motor car
Manufacturers Association will he held at the
Hotel Manhattan January ;. at one O'Clock in
the afternoon.
Charles e Duryea, the technical expert Of the
association, in talking yesterday of the tendencies
Of automobile construction for 1909 sad
Just what the show at the Grand Central Palace
will reveal when it opens its doors the last
evening of this year cannot be definitely known TIL
then. Automobile makers enjoy springlng sur
the makers with the most pronounced advances are
saving the least about them just now. In fact.
one of the strongest arguments against an early
show is the fact that many agents and dealers'
have goods still hand which they wish 70 dis
pose Of before the next models shown Certain
it ts however. that the last year has been a pro-
ductive one from standpoint of the designer and
engineer and that much advance has been made in
many lines
The most marked movement of interest to buyers
lar her of fine Vab at
prices Well equipped factories, with their trained
men. able to produce goods Of superior
quality at much lower prices than ever before and
the buying public will be coTespondingly in
creased. with every probability that the palace
with its enormous floor win be taxed to hold
the crowds. and the early visitors will be the ones
, to get the best attention and most pleasure.
In body design the short. handy town car, with
its closed coupled chassis, will be found at many
exhibits Wheels larger than viii be seen on
every viii delight the pioneers who years
ago stood for wheel sizes that were right On the
heavier vehicles the thirty-sixlnch wheel has be-
come practically standard.
In body hanging and spring design much inge-
nuity has been expended. The all but uni
serni-elliptic spring has been largely re-
placed by fun elliptic and thTee-quarer platforms,
which add materially the easy riding qualities
the rigs Springs have been improved in unseen
ways such as by the of steels unknown few
years ago which capable OF greater elasticity
and longer life than ever was imagined by makers
OF the Olden days
THE steady advance toward more cylinders with
no limit in night which few years ago threatened
to bring vehicles with a telescope driving attach
ment, has ceased. and the pendulum Is swinging
back to lighter and saner constructions more
the needs OF the masses. OF course, there
are and will always be structures suited limit
ed who wish the smooth running of the eight
cylinder motor, and this class the sX-cylinders
Of which there goodly number, viii appeal
but eght-cylinder vehicles Will not be in evidence
notably and the lighter fours will attract the at
tention of the majority, with a lesser number OF
two-cylirder cars which made in large num-
bers but do not appear 50 largely in evidence at
show.
More closely connected with the internal con-
struction are such things magnetos. Advocated
by few leading spirits for years, the magnetic has
at last largely into its own, and its adoption
on vehicles than 81 900 in price marks dis
tnctive step forward in certain and satisfactory
sparkling. on touring car the magnetic Is bullt
into the fywheeI and adds the major part of its
weight the wheel while producing ample current
for the ignition OF the explosive charges.
Lucky is the who has not AT some time been
stopped on the road by empty gasoene tank.
This works the discredt OF the maker almost as
much as mechanical failure, and therefore many
makers now fit the reserve tank. which has one
compartment that Will not run empty till the main
tank has been empted and the operator forced 10
open the reserve supply cock, after which he can
proceed some miles further and have time to
a new supply Even on the lower priced rigs TINS
arrangement is found.
THE once loudly decorated dash has been large
ly stripped of its gewgaws, and is again fit de-
vice for well dressed people to sit near.
THE oiling systems have been simplihed and
placed on or near the parts they serve instead of
on the dash Speedometers and odometers, and
often clocks have been combined into one instru-
ment which Is a serviceabe ornament instead or
a complicated clutter. Slowly and makers
are awakening the fact that the useless is not
beautiful in a thing of daily service, such as an
auto and simplicity is taking the place of COM
rIexity in many places. For the first time will be
II trodyced vehicles which do not even nave oilers
but feed the oil with the gasclene
.rThe two-stroke cycle motor will he shown in
slightly increased numbers and will attract aten-
,i, roora than ever because of the possibilities Of
lovvar cost and still greater simplicity, both Oi
which lead toward a larger of the auto. Since
tho basic patents on this form have expired there
hos heen an increased interest in this type. which
,,ti1 sooner or later be reflected by a largely in
creased
The friction drive is another simple device Whlch
i ,onahIe oF superior service. 1t is winning recog-
,,ttion as q satisfactory drive for light vehicles
,,.bare ease of manipulation and wide range OF
speeds needed
.'Iu general the tendency for 1903 is very much
toward motor vehicles for the masses. The nghter
,reights larger wheels and tires, the simpler ana
rrore seryiceable constructions and many deIalI
irrnroven1ents will make this show of interest TO
larger numbers of people by far than any previous
.~bib,tion and argues well for the success Oh IIie
t7siness during the coming year
oorurcTrP DEFEATS CORNELL