El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-26


M TO be the general opinion among
automobile engineers that the
process of elimination which has been
going on during the past 20 years mas
served to develop a car design which
aJproximates the final verdict Of the
autOmObile-using world. 1t is believed
that the various types on the market
this year are fairly representative OF
what is to be expected in the art OF
automobile designing for the future. 1t
is the opinion OF most engineers that
the work of the coming years viii be
in the direction of retinements OF con
structiOn. rather than OF new Depart
ures, and that the car OF 0ec2de
hence will not differ materially in ap-
pearance from the one of the present
day.
The present season has witnessed the
rather general adoption of many de-
vices which add TO the comfort OF aQ-
tOmObtling, and of many ideas OF oody
design, which add both to the beauty
and utility Of the automobile The
present year has been styled the self
starter year. While II self-star ters
We're exhibited at a Paris automobile
show in 1905, it was not until the past
winter that the self-starter mas
claimed any general attention. This
year they are meeting with such favor
that dozens Of self-starting devices are
being placed on the market and incOr-
pcrated IN new cars
SELF Starters Are Many.
4ueEe are I'VE general ~ yes OF 5cAA-
starters made. The acetylene type IS
the most generally favored, having the
advantage of adding very little COM
llication, and Of making use OF the eX-
isting ignition system and gas tank
The compressed air starter temporarily
converts the motor into an air engine
and runs it BY straight air pressure
until the gasoline gets in its WrOk-
The electric starter has a motor geared
direct to the crank shaft and draws
Its current from the storage battery,
which It subsequently charges by run
ming as dynamo driven by the engine
The electric starter is used usually as
a part OF the electric lighting equip
meut Of the auto. The gasoline starter
IL PRODUCES charges Of explosive vapOr
into the cylinders, where they are Ig-
nited BY the regular ignition system
Ine spring starters consist OF heaFy
coiled springs wound up by the engine
while running. It is rather a strange
commentary upon all the different
types OF starters that the average auto
mobile builder who uses the self-start-
er still attaches the Old-time crank for
the emergency which all admit may
arise even with the uss Of the best
starter on the market
The bad Weather Car.
Another important step in automO-
bile designing progress has been the
development OF the all-kinds-Of-Weath
er cars-cOupes, nmOuSines and ber-
lines While the limousine and the
electric coupe have been used for some
years, the big luxurious berline, in
which the chauffeur is enclosed as well
as the passengers. has secured a con-
siderable amount Of favor. and the de-
mand for inside-driven small cars has
brought out a large number OF such |
coupes. designed to carry from two to [
four passengers. Scarcely a manufac-
turer is overlooking the demand for |
these machines, and some Of them are .
going so far as to build cars which may I
be converted from touring cars to
Another milestone in automobile
construction seems to have been
reached in the adoption Of the scuttle-
dash as the standard type and the
closed front or fOredoOr car body.
whether a machine Is a small runabOut, 1
tWO-paSsenger roadster, or a high
power berline, Ii is practically inevi- I
ue-dash and the closed front body.
The ClOsed-FrOnt Body.
The closed front body has. in turn, !
made new demands upon the autonO-
bile engineer Without a system OF I
ventllating the front part OF the car, J
the heat from the engine in warm 3
weather becomes almost unbearable. Z
MS has LED TO the adoption OF many !
different Tentilating devices for the aC- !
mission OF cool air into the front part I
Of the car While the designers were I
figuring upon ventilating devices. they ]
concluded also to add a heating device I
for winter weather The engine of an I
automobile always produces a supply OF 4
warm air while running, and the de-
that into the car for the comfort OF I
the passenger
Every prospective purchaser Of an /
automobile is well acquainted with /
the rise Of the new mono bloc engine, !
and the long stroke motors. This /
stroke gives the new engines an eff l
cheney which their predecessors did not /
pcs seSS. A number OF sleeve and rstary /
valve engines have been brought out. /
which overcome the faults Of the pop
pet valve, and most engineers believe ]
tEat this represents the approximate /
ultimate type of motor car power plant. !
Eliminating the Levers.
one OF the tendencies in automobile /
engineering has been the gradual de- 4
crease in the number Of levers and ped /
ais required for the control of the car I
as well as an increase in the simplicity
and directness Of the movements nee
essary The adoption OF the closed ]
front has brought about the placing OF !
the levers inside the body, and in not /
a Few cases central position has been /
adopted, which permits the right hand I
TO be used for steering and the left I
hand for operating the levers.
At one Of the recent motor shows a 4
manufacturer exhibited an entirely
new type Of roadster, which he called I
the sOciability car The body OF the
machine is built rather wider than
usual, and three people can sit side
by side, comfortably. The fact that I
the car does not carry with it the
appearance OF excessive Wilderness leads
the manufacture TO hope that the
three passenger car viii meet with /
favor. Other manufacturers have
brought out a regular five-passenger
car with disappearing seats for the ac-
ecmmOdatiOn of two more. Some OF
the big berlines and limousines are
equipped with top veutilators, resemb-
ling those on an ordinary railroad car
some of them also are so fitted ont
mat the instant the doors of the car
are opened the lighting system is au-
tcmatically put into Operation. Stu
others possess seats, which are made
somewhat on the principle of the
swivel chair, and permit the occupant I
to change his position. Tt is expected I
that many of the cars for next wear
viii possess a device for registering the
quantity of gasoline on hand. and for I
indicating the condition Of the lubrl-
eating oil supply.
Larger Wheels. Bigger Tries.
There is a tendency among manufac- J
turers to build machines with largerl
wheels and wider tread tires. ma
makers Of one type Of mOtor-trucly I
have attached a device. which NAV vet
become common on automobiles gen
orally. This consists Of q governor I
similar to that on the ordinary steam
engine. This governor may be set for