Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-24
PRODIGIOUS IS
CAR DEMAND
100000 CARS WILL BE MADE
AND ABSORBED
LARGEST DEMAND WILL BE FOR
MACHINES AT LOW PRICE
Notable Changes in Wheels, Wheel
Bases and Tires, and Number
Change Steering Wheel
to Left Side

That automobiles are standard and
that few changes will be made in the
models for 1910 is the statement made
by Alfred Reeves, general manager OF
the American Motor Car Manufactur-
ers' association, after three trips occu-
pying about six weeks that took him to
siXty-one of Americas leading motor
car factories. He estimates at least
100000 as the 1910 production, and says
that while there will be no reduction In
the price of the standard models, there
will be more given in a motor car next
year than ever before. In other words,
while the price of materials has been
advancing, the cost of manufacture is
being reduced and the manufacturers
are making refinements that will bring
out better cars without advancing
prices.
general review in the. plans in
motor cars for 1910 would indicate that
improvements for next year will be
confined almost entirely to the refine
ment of the present successful types.
In the opinion of Mr. Reeves the time
which has been long wished for when
motor cars would be standard has
about arrived. Il
Standardization the Rule
general
in Motor Field, "I would say that the
1910 motor car will show a decided
tendency toward Standardization. The
wonderful advance in gas engines
during the past ten years has brought
the present type of automobile almost
to the perfection point, and improve
ments now must be almost entirely In
the matter of details. While there
will be some changes of models and
designs by a few makers, the lncllna-
ton Is to improve on the present sat
isfactory type of motor. The tuture
may see some radical changes IN car
construction but certainly not for
couple of years. The 1910 car will see
those refinements which make for 81
lence and simplicity in operation, IN
creased power without increasing the
size of motors, more pleasing design,
greater riding comfort and lower main
tenance cost.
"One of the most important changes
will be the use of a longer stroke in
motors A number of makers are using
the same size of cylinder whether they
be for four or six model which makes
for standardization. Magnetos are now
in universal use, some makers not even
suppIying a battery. High tension and
low tension magnetos are used, each
having it's followers.
Among other changes for next year
will be larger wheels and tires, a
longer wheel base, especially in the
moderate priced cars; the casting OF
cylinders in pairs and sometimes en-
bloc; the use of the shaft drive, eX-
cept on a small number of very large
cars or buggy-aboutS; the increasing
use of the thermo-syphon system OF
cooling and the adoption of d1rect
drive on third speed in TRANSMISSION
where four speeds are supplied.
Most radical of all in the way OF
changes appears the placing of the
steering wheel on the left-hand side.
which has been followed by two or
the biggest producers next year and
number of the smaller ones.
I'm some cases motors are being cast
with the exhaust pipe included. One
maker will have only one pipe running
from the carburetors to the motor, do
ing away with the manifold. Carbur-
etors have been refined and studied
with a view to securing more power
and greater distance than heretofore.
THE design of bodies will be given
more attention next year and the lines
of the cars generally will be more
pleasing to the eye. The use OF ball
or roller bearings is universal. While
the four-cylinder motor continues to
be the most popular, number OF big
cars, and especially those of high
power, will be equipped with six-cyl-
inder motors"
100000 Cars This Season
Reeves statement that American
factories will turn out 100000 cars dur
ing 1910 was made after careful com
pilation of figures received from
makers of axles, magnetos, frames and
other parts, as we'll as from the auto
mobile makers themselves. These
plans may not be completely carried
out, owing to the inability of parts
makers to supply the demand, but in
any case there is sure to be 125
per cent increase over the production
of 1909, which is placed at 10000 cars
and which has been insufficient to sup
ply the demand. OF this number 1885,
900 will be pleasure cars, 10000 will be
high-wheel buggies made by carriage
concerns and 5000 will be steam and
electric carriages and commercial We
hicles.
The avarage price of these cars will
be about $780, the cars below $500
being in greatest demand, although
there is no lessening in the demand
for cars of higher price. This will
mean total business in cars alone of
5000. 100000
All VIII Ee Absorbed
Yet with these extraordinary figures
on next years motor vehicle output,
Reeves says that there is no reason to
fear an oVerproduction, owing to the
fact that Americas greatest purchas-
ing power, the middle class, have now
entered the field, together with the
farmers, who have been liberal buyers
of cars during the present year. When
it is taken into consideration that
there are now 10000 motor cars in
this country, and at least that number
ought to be turned out next year, a
fair idea can be gained of the present
status of the automobile industry,