The Washington herald., 1911-10-15

To any one interested in motor cars a
visit to the different agencies is well
worth while All of the dealers are glad
to show their new models, the majority
of which have just come in during the
past two weeks, and the trip is instruct
i've to any one owning or contemplating
the purchase OF a car.
For 1912, as the announcements pro-
claimed, there have been few changes.
Instead, the new features have been more
in the nature OF refinements and sim
plification of the motor car. For the
coming year the tastes Of the prospective
owner have been catered to. and at last
he Will be able to get q car that he wants
instead of being forced to accept what
the manufacturer thought he should
have.
No longer is II necessary for an owner
to be a mechanic to keep his car running.
1t Is now thought sufficient that he un-
derstand how to operate a machine and
not rebuild one. The motor. II is figured,
should be dependable. the car easy
riding, and the work of operating one be
reduced to a minimum.
Refinement of Models.
Tie new models show few radical de-
partur from the conventional; they are,
rather, a refinement of the models of a
year ago. Summed up, some of the lead
ing characteristics, are self-starters, de-
mountable rims. long-stroke motors, cleo
trio lights, and tire pumps.
The self-starter is one Of the things
upon which the greatest emphasis is
placed, as il is realized that one Of the
greatest drawbacks to a gasoline pro-
PEELED car. especially il the ladies are TO
drive il, is the necessity OF going through
a set OF motions similar to those en-
ployed by the hand-organ man on the
corner in order to get the motor started.
In warm weather. while cranking a mo-
tor is not the most graceful thing in
the world, il is ordinarily an easy task,
but how different in the winter time.
Starting cold motor is not light task.
Designers have been working on the
self-starting idea for some time, and to-
day there are quite a number Of them
on the market. A few manufacturers
are including them as part of the regu-
lar equipment, while others are sold As
accessories to the individual owner. a
number of different principles are 'sei,
and as yet there seems to be no hnality
in the matter as to which is the best.
Come Into Their Own
Demountable rims have come into their
own as part of the regular equipment
of cars, not only on the higher priced
machines but on the cheaper ones as
well. The convenience of this rim, which
is simply a spare tire inflated on an ex-
ira rim and carried on the car, 20 be
easily slipped on by the removal OF a
few bolts. is appreciated, as 1t practically
removes one of the banes of motoring,
tire trouble. BY the use OF this rim,
change can be made in few minutes
and with little or no effort.
Electric lights are another popular fea-
ture of the new models, the driver find
ing II much more convenient to push a
handy button on the dash than to get out
and light his lamps. To any one who
has spent fifteen minutes on the end
OF a tire-pump handle on a summer
afternoon, with the mercury around the
100 mark and the nearest shade hun
dred yards distant, will appreciate the
tire pump that is coming through on
some Of the higher priced cars and ,Oper-
ated by the engine. 1t fills a long-fclt
want.
"Sixes" Are in Evidence.
Six-cylinder motors, also, are more in
evidence than ever before. There seems
to be a tendency on the part of the
makers, though, to bring out SKIES in the
smaller sizes and on moderate-priced
cars. Some Of the larger makers are
pinning their faith entirely to the six,
while the last summer has seen one or
two instances of prominent con erns
~hich heretofore have confined them
selves to the four-cylinder types coming
into the six-cylInder fold. In the way of
engines a type that has just been intro
duced for 1912 is the slide valve motor,
in which two reciprocating sleeves be-
tween the piston and the cylinder take
the place of poppet valves.
Body styles have not changed much in
the last twelve months, although the de-
sieners show a tendency to bring about
cleaner lines by removing from the dash
such devices as oil gauges, coils and the
like, and. for instance, putting the door
handles inside where fore-doors are used.
On some of the higher priced cars it
will be noted that considerable attention
has been paid to the upholstering, and
the cushions that are offered for the oc-
cupants of the tonneau are designed to
make long motor trips far more enjoy
able. Some makers. too, are coming to
the belief that perhaps it is advisable to
furnish the car fully equipped in the way
Of top, windshield, headlights, speedom-
eters. and other fittings which in the
past the owner has had to buy separately