The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-22

f, Last year. for instance. wood bodies
/ were still quite common and probably
! formed half OF the years output. To
day between so and 80 per cent Of
the auto bodies manufactured are OF
steel over wood. and the atwood
body may be said to be practically
passe.
The steel body has many points OF
superiority over the wooden one. In
the first place. II is stronger and con
sequently will withstand greater
shocks, which means an additional
degree OF safety. Its durability is en-
other point in its favor. Thirdly, II
has been demonstrated that steel
surface will take better finish than
wood and one that will retain It's
luster longer. Wood bodies are more
susceptible TO the weather. They
check out In time, like a piano, and
no amount of fixing over will make
them look like new again. So II Is
only a question OF time. the makers
say, and a very short time at that.
when wood bodies will be longer man
ufactured.
Another great point in favor OF the
steel body. and one that the motor
car manufacturers were quick to real
ize and take advantage OF. is the short
time II takes TO finish IL. This Is a
simple process compared to that en-
ployed In the finishing of wood body.
To properly finish a wood surface re-
Quires from three TO four weeks, ac-
cording TO the number OF coats OF
paint, enamel and varnish required,
for each coat must be thoroughly dry
before the next is applied. A steel
body is simply placed in an oven and
the enamel Is baked on, a process sell
dom requiring more than As hours.
Such a saving OF time means much
TO the automobile manufacturer who
is behind his orders. and this fact, no
doubt. is accountable in large meas
sure for the universal popularity OF
the steel body among car makers.
When the body makers first started
to use steel. they experienced some
difsculty In getting exactly what they
wanted from the steel mills. For this
work, II the best results were TO be
obtained, very smooth surface was
required. and this meant a finer quail
ity OF steel than the rolling mills had
ever turned out before. The steel
men had their own idas about their
business and some OF them were in
clined to resent suggestions from rank
outsiders at first, but once they were
convinced that the demands OF the
body makers for smoother sheet
were just. they promptly came up to
the scratch and prepared to meet
those demands. So the body makers
are no longer experiencing any diff
ficulties on that score.
Inasmuch as Detroit Is the center
OF the automobile industry OF the
country. II naturally follows that II Is
also the center OF the body making
industry. Practically all the bodies
that go into the construction OF De-
troit-made cars are manufactured In
Detroit or Pontiac, while the ship
ments OF bodies from Detroit to out
side markets is enormous. Some OF
the finest body plants In the world
are located here and in this vicinity,
and the value OF the annual output
runs we'll up into seven figures, for
the body represents from 10 to IL per
cent OF the cost OF a car A few OF
the larger car makers are now manu-
featuring their own bodies. but the
indications are that body making will
continue separate industry for many
years to come.
Aluminium as a material for auto
mobile bodies has not come into great
vogue as yet, but its adaptability has
been established beyond doubt and
the future will probably witness some
interesting developments along this
line.