New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-02
CYCLECAR SUCCESS MAY
Be FAR IN THE future
Alden |. MCMurty Believes
Present Outlook Is Not
Very Promising.
CANNOT FORESEE DEMAND
pvnects That When 1t Comes It
Will Be Filled by Builders
of Small Cars and
Motorcycles.

~ Alden l.. McMurtN MAY ne taken as
authority. and he is generally regard
. one of the best informed men in
~. country on all matters pertaining to
IS. automobile. the cyclecar Is not des-
80 N achieve the success that its
"arsuine admirers i'm the Middle West
.n,esr TO expect. Mr.. McMurtry was the
~ri,cinal speaker before the Society OF
,r,orobije Engineers on Thursday even
-, and his remarks were listened TO
-l,h great attention, the status OF the
.,,clscar being one OF the big problems
,rst the industry is now facing.
According to Mr.. McMurtry, the cycle
..r Is purely a question of price and de-
md Not one of the little machines
,h,s far built In this country, he says.
sc, nroduced at a cost of less than 500
=, ,o0 and practically none OF the dozens
:, ,yres that so far can be seen only in
s,,,e nrint can be produced for less money.
ua differentiatcs between such ma
hines as the Baby Peugeot, now on eX-
hihtion in this city, end the cyclecar.
Tho former, he says, is miniature auto
.,oh;e costing as much TO produce as
,or,a az the small cars OF ordinary type
mil, in this country. The motorcycle.
ha believes. after a long experience in
their use. is a more finely developed piece
Of machinery than even the highest priced
o,torobiles. He can see an excuse for a
r,o,orcycle with four wheels or the dupN-
,.,;on in miniature Of some Of the pres
on, day motor cars. In part Mr.. Nc
Nurtry said:
"The cylinder volume tax in some for
e,qn countries was so heavy that the
manufacturers designed cars fitted with
small high-speed motors. These small
cars were in most cases exact dupli-
Gates OF the regular product except on g
much smaller scale. These cars proved
that small high-speed motor, with
four-speed transmission, was the equal
of the large slow-speed American motor
with a two or three-speed transmission.
III il a mistaken idea that these cars
we're designed solely TO compete with
the inexpensive American car. as some
appeared on the highways abroad long
before the so-called invasion OF the
American car. After consideration OF the
motorcycle with the side car attachment
and the miniature automobile, the follow
ing questions arise:
Cannot a motorcycle be MADE win
four wheels and arranged with COM
Portable two-passenger body? Consioer-
inv the design Of the miniature car is
], necessary. when building smaller car
TO follow precisely accepted automooHe
engineering practice?
These questions would imply that the
foosar,ental consideration is cost, since
tho scope Of the motor cycle is 10 De en-
la-red. while that Of the miniature car
is restricted We have two types OF
eyc,ecar. the modified motor cycle anu
the small automobile.
IF Il is possible 10 build cyclecar
which embodies almost all the essentIai
parts Of tho motor cycle. why are not lne
motor cycle builders making them why
are so few interested?
The price Of a modern motor cyc'e
averages between $3.50 and s325' ana when
equipped with a side car, between s0o'
and 500. If We take the price of a motor
cycle as a basis Of comparison, then
motor cycle type of cyclecar should rea-
sonablv cost over $500. This is ASSUMING
however. that the proposed cyciecar u
built with the same sterling quality OF
workmanship and material which may De
found in the modern motor cycle.
THE characteristics Of such car In
respect 10 speed. power and methou OIL
control would eliminate II from the cheap
automobile class. In other words the
advantage of rapid acceleration, taking
all hills on high gear and possible over
leading, would be discarded In return TOT
the presumably economical cost OF up
keep With respect to fuel and tires.
"As the cyclecar sa tpresent or con-
siderable interest II Is natural to hear Oh
great demand for them. Has TINS NC
msnd been analysed? Is II a question OF
what is wanted or what can be suppheo
Does the question OF cost supersede me-
ehanical construction? Does the oeih"nu
actually exist or Is 1t question OF many
Inquiries and few sales?
why are the large automobile factories
With their wonderful manufacturing iscH
tiles not attempting TO supply II! Naii
J, be possible that the makers OF cheap
automobiles are waiting to eliminate tneir
list Of full equipment, design skeit'o'
body and meet the demand for cScie
car wit ha cheaper automobile?
1T is not my intention to appear pes0'
mistic on tn subject. However the cy
eecar has afforded questionable proiho'
ers a new excuse to organize manulact
uring companies to build cyclecars AT ~
dieulously 10 whgures. Automooile en-
gineers should discuss the cyclecar frahn
ly and fearlessly in order that the puolc
will know It's limitations. Enthusiasm
over the cyclecar should be limited 10
that which ,s sunnorted by fact"