Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-01-27

was case of tempering the wind to
the shorn lamb this is most certainly
one, as the automobile manufacturer
is undoubtedly shouldering the bulk
CT the loss. or rather he has calculat-
ed on compromising himself for part
of the lost profit by the introduction
of more intensive methods Of produc-
ton.
It doesn't matter in which direction
the prospective car purchaser looks,
the result is bound to be the same,
with a shortage of millions of tons of
steel, aluminium at so cents a pound
as against 10 two years ago, copper
costing more than twice its former
price, leather for upholstery way up.
The only consultations are that, SO
far, air for the tires Supplied by the
owners Efforts costs no more than
before and that the price of gasolene
is receding from the high-water mark.
The allusion to water seems unkind
in this connection, but it may De re-
marked, parenthetically, that there is
far too much evidence of kerosene in
the commercial gasolene Of today.
Among the Innovations and i'm
provements marking the cars of 1917,
perhaps the most evident is the pro-
vision of more passenger space. This
does not mean that a five-passenger
touring car will afford comfortable ac-
commodations for six people, but it
really does means that the normal
number will be carried in greater CON-
fort than has hitherto been the case.
This comfort will be accentuated by
better spring suspension systems, the
rear springs being, asa rule, so de-
signed and arranged that they are
practically fiat under load. This
means more resilient action and con.
sequently increased ability to absorb
road inequalities, impact with stray
bricks, etc. In this connection it is
interesting to note that an analysis of
the various 1917 chassis models dis
closes the fact that semi-elliptic and
cantileter rear springs are racing
neck and NECK for the leading posi-
ton formerly held by the three-quar-
ter elliptic. The semi-elliptic spring,
as now designed, seems capable of
taking care of any load from that i'm
posed by the five-ton truck to that
borne by the two-passenger light
roadster, and the adherents of the
cantilever type point out that its use
tends to minimize that side sway
which has proAed so destructive to
tires under other circumstances. Ali
types have their respective admirers
and 1t should not be forgotten that il
is not only the type of spring, but its
design and method of installation
which insures an easy riding car.
So much for what may be termed
the fundamental principles affecting
the touring or other body of the 1917
car. Cast another look at the lines of
the 1906 production and then stop for
a moment to consider the 10 yearly
steps achieved by the body designer
art has been playing its part in body !
design for a few years, but now it
should be spelled with a capital A. |
Two years ago. We had the stream
line body in what was then consid. |
cred its final form The actual out. |
line was pleasing, but was broken
by an upright windshield which arose |
from a kind of hump that started
abruptly from the hood to the dash; |
another bad break was caused by the /
outline of the back of the front seat, |
but at the time neither of these ex-
was noticed
They have disappeared In the typi-
cal body of 1917, a circumstance due
to the adoption of a slipping wind |
shield which does not detract from the
body contour and which arises from a |
front cowl in which the hood line is
continued. III. 1
In order to help out the effect radia- |
tors are both higher and narrower
than formerly and the hood joins in |
an easy line In which all abrupt angles |
or awkward curves are eliminated. |
Instead of the former high back to
the front seat, there is simply a sec
ond cowl between the driving COM
partment and the tonneau. This tx |
useful as well as ornamental, as its |
curve toward the tonneau may be par.
tally filled in with convenient lock
ers and the remainder of the space |