The Washington times., 1913-07-05
FACTORIES CONFER
ON LATEST MODELS
Call in Agents to Discuss
Any Changes to Be Made in
1914 Motor Cars.
By HARRY WARD.

By HARRY WARD. ...
bile dealers from Washington and
other important cities of the country
are being summoned to the factories
to talk over business arrangements for
the new season, and to have look at
the plans the makers have laid for
producing the 1914 models.
Consequently heretofore well-kept Sc
crets are beginning to leak out as to
what will be the changes that are to
be made when the factories start on
ther new series of models that will be
put on the market later in the year.
Rumors are coming from the manufac-
turing centers of Detroit, Indianapolis.
Cleveland, and Toledo of changes in
models and there have been few
Official announcements. While Wash
ington dealers are clearing up the
final sales of the present series of cars,
the manufacturers are getting machin-
ery and materials ready for the new
cars.
Announcements and rumors tend to
ohov that progress in motor car man
ufacture the coming season is TO De IN
the nature of still further adaptations
car. That was the feature OF the new
models of the past season; II is 10 De
carried along another step TINS coniins
season. II tends to confirm preoic-
tion that was made last winter that
eventually the gasolene motor OF a
car will have no other function to per
form than to generate electricity, wnich
will be the power for operating ano
controlling the car. II is certain tnat
progress toward that end is being
made.
Electric Gear Shaft.
The most notable feature of the new
models. SO far as announcements nave
come out from the factories. Is me
growing favor of the electrical gear
shaft. which does away altogether with
the gear shifting lever and reduces the
operation of changing gears to a mere
matter of pressing a button. MOTOR
car manufacturers were somewhat
skeptical when the first electrical gear
shaft was publicly exhibited at the
Boston show last March, but they were
not SO skeptical but that they were
willing to investigate and have the de-
vice demonstrated to them.
AZ a result, two manufacturers nave
definitely adopted the electrical method
of changing gears as stock equipment
on their new series of cars, and rumors'
apuarently well founded, indicate that
other prominent makers of cars are
seriously considering the change u
they have not actually decided TO ADOPT
Il
sal this season, so that there Will be
little change in that beyond refinement
OF the system and method of operation
the coming season Nearly every maker
has also been using the electric motor
starter, but there were some prominent
executions. OF these one was the
Pierce-Arrow company, but for its new
series of cars. which Is already COM
ing through the factory. the company is
using the electric method OF starung
the motor exclusively. And IT has
brought out an advanced plan Of plac-
ing electric lights.
IL was certain that with the adoption
of electric lights Il would not be long
before manufacturers broke a~y from
the more or less awkward method OF
placing the lamps in vogue in the acety-
lese and kerosene days The hrst step
toward the better arrangement made
possible by the electric lamp was re-
placing with pullseyes the side lamps
that stuck ont from the dash on brack-
cts and that were forever working loose
and rafting The Pierce-Arrow has
taken another step in respect to the
headlights by Incorporating them IN the
front of the front wheel guards. This
puts the headlights farther apart and
higher, spreading the illumination over
mere of the road and giving better
illumination at corners. Other manu-
(acturers II is said, are to remove the
lamp brackets in front and make the
headlights integral with the wheel
guards.
Are Investigated.
So far, electrically operated brakes
have not appeared in any factory an
nouncements. but they are being inves-
tigated. II they prove useful the brake
lever also will be likely to go the
way the change speed lever has started.
The announcement by the Packard
company some time ago that both its
six-cylinder cars would have left steer,
gave added impulse to this movement
TO change the drivers place from the
right to the left side of the car. This
week the Locomobile company has come
out with a statement that II will pro-
vide both its models with right or left
steer, as the customer desires.
The left-side position possesses so
many advantages in bringing the driver
close TO the traffic that he is passing,
and in making the seat beside the driver
accessible to the curb. that IL has be-
come popular with owner-drivers es-
pecially- and they are asking for IL.
THIS means that practically every
maker viii have TO provide il either as
stock equipment or as an option.
From this time on announcements of
the plans for next season may be eX-
spected regularly from the manufactur-
ers. The season Of motor car selling
has changed now so that II begins IN
midsummer and ends in the late
spring, with any hiatus there may be
In the early summer
Manufacturers plans for new cars are
made in the spring. when the retail
selling Is at its height, the factories are
set for the new productions about this
time and plans announced, and the new
goods begin to come through so that
they are available for the late summer
and autumn tourists and for the cold
season cars The characteristic feature
of this seasons cars is ease of opera
tion: the same thing appears to be the
characteristic of the plans for cars of
next season, but in a more advanced
degree.