Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-29
OAKLAND IS
A CLASSY CAR
WoODILL AUTO COMPANY GETS
FINE MACHINE
STRONG CONTENDER IN TRADE
OF THIS SECTION
Equipped with Vertical Cylinder Type
of Motor-Has Record Of Per-
feet Score In Glidden
Tour

What promises to be one of the
strongest contenders in the automobile
trade is the Oakland. three cars OF
which make arrived in Los Angeles
Friday, consigned to the Woodill Auto
company.
All are equipped with the vertiele
two-cylinder 2O-horsepower type Of mo-
tor, but within a few days there will
be a demonstrator of the four-forty
type here. ]. Il. Eccleston, sale agent
Tor the Oakland, is driving the four
cylinder car down from san FRANCISCO
and is expected here early this week.
The Oakland has the credit of win
ming a perfect score in the last Ghdden
tour with a two-cylinder car,
A. P. Brush, who designed the Cadll-
lac and has been concerned in the I'M
provement in design of several other
cars, designed the Oakland, and Judg-
ing from the way the engine runs he
did a first-class job of it and his ideas
were well carried out by good FAC
tory.
The lack of lunging and vibrations in
the two-cylinder type is noticed at once
in riding, so quietly does the motor
turn over that a glass of water placed
in the fender shows little disturbance
The engine is patterned after some Of
the late foreign voiturette types of mo-
tors that developed such Surprising
speed and power in the recent light car
race held in France. A balancing de-
vice installed in the crank case of the
motor takes up all of the vibration, and
is adjustable so that any tendency to-
ward vibration can be corrected by the
simple adjustment of a curved slotted
arm.
A planetary transmission is used on
the little cars and is operated by
lever for both speeds, forward reverse
and brake. The lever is operated the
same as the change speed lever on a
selective type of gear, but the operation
of changing gears on the planetary
transmission is more simple by far
than with the selective type.
A thermo- syphon system is used for
cooling and the pump and consequent
gearing are eliminated.
The tops of the cylinder have cap
that can be easily removed for clean
ing out carbon or removing the pistons
In bodies there is a choice of road
ster, touring car or taxicab style.
The Oakland 40" has a wheel base
of 112 inches and a tread of So inches.
The wheels have 34x4-inch tires, front
and rear The cylinders are cast in
pairs and are Ax5 inches in bore and
stroke.
The transmission is three-speed Sc
device prevents the clashing of gears.
on the rear axle. A special shifting
device prevenst the clashing of gears.
A multiple disc clutch connects motor
and transmission. There is a double
ignition system provided for and igni-
ton equipment is for jump spark from
storage batteries
The price of the 40" will be $3.50
in Los Angeles, with lamp, horn and
battery equipment. The little car will
sell here for 1880 equipped,
The cars were shipped to the Wood
i'll Auto company and viii be demon
strated from that place. On the streets
the two-cylinder car shows especial
value on account Of the remarkable
ease with which it can be controlled
and the slow speed with which it will
run on high gear.
The engine can be pulled down until
the car will run smoothly at three
miles per hour, with little or no dan
ger of stalling. A touch on the foot
accelerator and the motor speeds up
as lively as a cricket Deliveries are
promised within the next two or three
weeks, or as soon as they can be load
ed on the cars and shipped here from
Pontiac, Mich, where they are made.