El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-27

WHILE even the most casual OBJ
w server Of automobiles is aware
that their appearance has been i'm
proved in recent years. only few
people realize what a worl Of study
and scientific research has been spent
in their development, or to what
lengths manufacturers have gone 70
produce satisfactory effects A glance
at Illustrations which represented the
cal. fashions Of a few years ago, ana
their comparison with the graceful
models Of today is most interesting
clearly demonstrating that improve
ments fin body design have kept pace
with the more mechanical deFelO
ments Of the car itself But IL Is ouLy
nv taking a trip through some great
bodv olant such as those Of Studena-
vrer in Detroit and South Bend tnat
anv real idea can be had Of the highly
scientific methods and processes en-
nloved in present day DOuy pulLu! x
The public in general, and motorists
In particular. therefore, viii be inter-
esred in reading what J. Horace Bour-
e-on. body engineer Of the StudeDakeT
CORPORATION, famous here and ABROAD
as a designer Of original and beauu-
ful bodv creations. has to say con-
corning the art of body building
when a new design is to be
bronrbt ont. the body designer is
given only the most fundamental facts
to start on says Mr. Bourgon- For
instance. he is given only the wheel
base of the car, the seating capacity
desired, the general tyne, and the ap-
proximate weight. From t1ese ne
must create something that viii be
good TO look upon from any angie.
something in which every inch or
space is utilized. something which pro-
vfdes the utmost possible in seating
and riding comfort for the passengers
All this is by no means so easy as
il sounds
Rough Sketches First.
THE making Of rough sketches and
preliminary scale drawings is first
step that alone may represent weeks
of study. He may then visualize his
ideas by models in wax. to which a
little is added here. a trifle taken off
there, until the whole appears In per-
feet and harmonious outline, thus es-
tablishing the general design Next
come the big drawings which engage
the attention of q whole drauChting
staff for many weeks Every line or
these is worked out with the most
painsta king accuracy, not only by it.
self, but in relation to every other
line Of the car; the various curves be-
ing established, point by point, to
harmonic with all the other inter
secting and comparative curves which
constitute the general design. apply
ing, in this. the most abstruse prin-
ciples Of descriptive geometry.
"Or. 10 make the explanation more
simple, &c NAV be said that all the
drawings are carried into three planes
in a similar manner TO the work Of
q naval architect. the curves OF one
plane being "faired up" by smooth
flowing curves which touch in other
planes and so check M their accuracy
throughout their course. You per
haps have seen a great ship being
launched. or a beautiful yacht drawn
up on shore, and II so you must have
marveled at the sweepingly graceful
lines. the perfect proportions. and the
smOOthness with which the various
curves melted into one another when
viewed at any angle. But the chances
are you never realized that all this
skill and intricate designing are du-
plicated in the modern automobile
stream line body. This. however. is
not merely in the interests Of beauty
alone, for, just as in the case OF the
ship. the main purpose Of the design