The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-09
CAR HEATER SOLVES
THE OLD PROBLEM
OF WINTER DRIVING
Appears to Be So Much in
Demand That in a Short
Time They May Become
Standard Equipment

One of the outstanding features of
motor car production this season is the
trend toward car heaters. Twenty motor
car manufacturers are equipping all or
part of their line of closed cars with
car heaters" says ]. P. German of the
Akron Advertising Agency company, who
was formerly identified with the automo-
bile industry.
This may be recorded as an indication
that before long a heater will be con-
sidered as a necessary part of standard
equipment to the same extent as
starter.
Comfort being one of the principal
features of owner interest, car heaters
are certain to have strong appeal
to car owners and influence their de-
eision in purchasing car.
CLOSED cars particularly have always
been sold on the basis of comfort and
all-year use. Inasmuch as warmth is
essential to comfort in fall and winter.
the argument is advanced that nom
heated automobile is very much like a
house without furnace and dependent
only on its walls and roof for protection.
Nor is the car owner the only one to
gain by increased use of motor car heat
ers. Automobile manufacturer and deal
er. alike, reap benefits.
WILL LOWER COST
Starting with mid-winter or earlier,
to store cars in order to be in position
to take care of the spring demand. This
is a decided hardship On all concerned,
and has ever been a handicap to produc-
ton and sales. An enormous amount of
capital is tied up for a considerable Pc
riod, not to mention the item of storage
charges, an item of no mean proportion
in itself.
while the above statement regarding
storages applies particularly to open cars,
this type of body is we'll within the in
fluence of car heaters. Two manufac-
turers who for the past two years have
used heaters on their closed cars, have
gone a step farther this season and are
eouipping their complete line, including
all open body models with car heaters.
Garages and accessory dealers also re-
port a demand for car heaters from
epen-car owners.
Viewed from this angle the car heat
er will do much toward solving the Win
ter storage problem for manufactures
and dealer. This season there is big
shortage in closed car production, and 1t
is a serious matter for dealers who have
an abundance of closed car prospects
and an alarming scarcity of closed cars
to sell.
dealers unable to take care of their
closed car prospects in many cases may
be able to induce the prospect to accept
a touring car equipped with wen HltlS
curtains and heater as worthy sub
stitute to meet the situation.
CONVERTS OPEN CAR
''There is also a-vast number of motor
car buyers who cannot afford to pay the
additional price of closed car, and
who require all year use of their car. In
this case also car heaters have an Urn
usually strong appeal
ut seems but logical step to carry
the car heater to the truck field. Driv-
ers of delivery cars and trucks are
obliged to be out in all kinds Of weather,
and it is only natural that their personal
comfort should affect their efficiency.
one manufacturer of motor trucks is now
eouipping his cab bodies with well fitting
side curtains and installs as standard
equipment a compact and efficient heat
er, using the exhaust gas from the mo-
tor.
From a variety Of viewpoints 1t Ap-
pears that car heaters are destined to
become a decided factor in the automo-
bile field and their universal use is but
a matter of short time