The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-01-20

Lee Counselman FOR the build
Ing of an automobile involves an
amount of experimenting. building
and rebuilding, testing and retest-
ing OF which the buying public has
Z little conception.
The Chalmers "Six-60," for in
stance. was started more than two
years ago. Ii was months before
that, that the original idea of this
car came TO the engineers. II was
only after many conferences among
the officers of the company and Chal-
rners dealers from all parts OF the
cpuntry that the general specifica-
ttons OF this car were decided upon.
Then. about two years ago. fol.
lowed period of construction OF
which only the Chalmers engineers
knew much.
After extensive study abroad and
III this country. certain principles OF
construction were decided upon by
the engineers. They were built into
a. car And when this car was fin
ally completed it was sent out on
the road, every part TO be tested
TO be broken, if such a thing was
possible. The preliminary tests OF
a new model involve thousands OF
lilies OF the most, strenuous driving
Imaginable. For instance one OF the
experimental cars OF the Chalmers
Model "a was driven for more than
eight months constantly up and
dbwn the steepest grades In the Al
ldgheny mountains Another car
Was sent through the south during
the wet season Day after day and
Week after Week IL was driven over
some OF the worst roads in this coun-
tfy. Another car made what would
have been. had il been publicly an
nbunced, a record nonstop run over
the hot sands in the southwest. From
radiator TO rear axle special tests
were devised for every part Not
the motor alone. but clutch. trans
mission, brakes. driving gears. igni-
tion, steering connections - every
part OF the car is tried TO the break
ing point.
IT is by tests such as these that
! we determine the rightness OF any
! type OF construction, that we gauge
) tie factor OF safety necessary In
CytT. pdIt VI IAfc Ndi.
later, these first experimental
4 cars are returned to the factory.
! There they are torn down by the
/ engineers. Every part is carefully
4 Examined for wear The strength
f. and durability of practically every
( mt and bolt In the entire car is &C
turately measured Then new cars
are built eliminating any faults
which may have developed. having
such added improvements as may
eeem advisable. And then these
cars are sent out TO undergo quite
as strenuous tests as their predeces-
s4rs. 1t is only by constant build
I ing and rebuilding. by persistent
changing and the most strenuous
testing, all at the suggestion OF ex-
+. pert engineers, that a car OF known
s6rvicea bility. smoothness OF opera
ton and general mechanical fitness
IS built.
r when a new model is frst an
n6unced TO the public. II has already
!. become an old story TO the men who
lbuflt II. Back OF the first new Chal-
mers "Sixes" which were shown the
public, were two years OF the hard
est kind OF work. The thing which
4 seemed new 10 the buyer had been
a tried and retired by US In tests more
Il Dtrenuous than any private owner
4 ever gives his car Into those two
.years our engineers had put life
time OF gruelling wear
h No reputable company ever puts
I. ON the market a car which has not
/, been tested thoroughly in every de-
4 tn1i. Such action would be the