New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-28
Here's One from Cali.
fornia to Sell at $500,
Without Body
100 MILES AN HOUR
SPEED GUARANTEED
Ivory Fittings, Too-Com.
bination Knight Car
Made Here for $4,000

Motor car making in one respec, !,
exhibiting a curious swing back 10 IA.
old days, when foreign practice va,
followed, and expensive chassis ws.
built to be equipped with special
bodies at the owners order STANDARD
ization in manufacture and the cor
sequent quantity production. brought
about the announcement year after
year of cars at lower and lower pries,
Only the war and the resulting in
creased cost Of materials swung hs
price curve up. With most Of the
manufacturers building cars for the
masses. that is something like S. Der
cent producing cars at less than $1,000.
il is interesting TO note the recent ap.
pearance of chassis costing twice ths.
and more. These manufacturers ara
building for the few who want 70 have
and can afford something different
For instance, at Chicago last week
there appeared the most expensive
American made chassis now made. 70
is car to do 100 miles an hour, guar
anteed, sold only as chassis az 50 500,
| 1t has $50 horsepower sirplsne en-.
CINE of six cylinders. 10 inches. q
is geared TO on low, 2is 70 on me
termediate and ~ 10 1 or high speed
The car is to have wheel base OF 1855 "a
las inches, according TO the type a
| body mounted.
Some things that make 1t distinctv.
outside of high speed and expensive
material and construction, are a carved
ivory name olate on the radiator, iyoY
mounted handles on engine controls
winshiel adjustment and hood latchesy
glass enclosed instrument panel on The
dash and lighting system which not
only Eliminates the name plate, but
the interior of the plush lined tool
box. A series of designs for custom
made bodies already has been prepared
which shows further distinctivenesS
The radiator, which IS wedge shaped.
tits back at the same angle as the
windshield, helping out the speed lines
In one model, the drivers seat is 20
be made easy TO enter by having il
set on a ball bearing track with for
ward and lateral radius of Is inches.
The car is built in Oakland, Cal, by
men well known in the automobile
trade. So IL is not the idea OF new
corners.
hlHnL mere III view IoEh tNeTt -
being developed a $4,000 chassis 10 be
fitted with special custom bodies. Il
combines a Moline-Knight four cylinder
4, motor, by s, the Entz magnetic
transmission and worm drive. II will
have 81 inch cantilever rear springs.
One such car already has been built
To give the names Of some other
high priced cars, the Simplex.Crale
has for some time been producing a
$4,000 chassis, and the +. r. 2. rs a
$1,000 chassis proposition. The Phi
anna is town car chassis selling at
$4,000. Those who think the market
to-day is al, for moderate priced ears
are referred to the Brewster. another
Knight-engined machine. which sells
complete from $4,000 70 $500; The
Austin, which sells from $3.50 70
$3.50; the American Fiat, ranging
from $500 to $4,000 for larger models;
the Locomobile. S4,750 20 $500; the
Pierce-Arrow, $4,000 70 $4,000; Packard,
$1,000 to S4,450; White, $3.50 70
$4,000; Winton, s., 6s5 TO S4,750;; Owen
Magnetic, $3.50 TO $4,000; Daniels,
$1,000 to $4,000, and Msrmou, 5000
to $4,000.
The total output Of these marques N
season runs we'll above $4,000 ears
so that it is easy to see that very
considerable number Of persons are
spending money right along for cars Of
high price.