The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-08

Last year, Tor 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 or
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. IL is stronger and con-
seQuently will withstand greater
shocks, which means an additional
degree OF safety. It's durability is an
other point In it's favor. Thirdly, II
has been demonstrated that steel
surface will take better finish than
wood and one that will retain its
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 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
lie and take advantage OF, is the short
time II takes 10 finish IT, 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, &C
cording TO the number OF coats OF
paint, enamel and varnlsh 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 sci.
dom requiring more than AZ hours
Such a saving OF time means much
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
difficulty In getting exactly what they
wanted from the steel mills. For this
work, II the best results were 10 be
obtained, a 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 a smoother sheet
were just, they promptly came up TO
the scratch and prepared to meet
those demands. So the body makers
or ~ Inc
iculties 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 well up into seven figures, for
the body represents from 10 to u per
cent OF the cost OF car A few or
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.