The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-04-27

tionize motoring more than this re-
versal of speed trends. Year after
year the cry has been for greater
speed. Even If speedometers are
inaccurate, the speeds reached to-
day are those Of an express train.
They demonstrate to what extent
the automobile has gone in this
direction. What is likely to hap
pen now is that the closed car
driver will be running at 40 miles
an hour or over while the driver
in the open car merely is ambling
along. 1t is conceded, of course,
that the latter is likely to confine
his loafing to those bouleVards
where there is plenty of room for
all.
Because these newer and more
elaborate open cars often are
bought with the idea of giving
their owners little more prestige,
many anticipate a return to the
good old days when every car
owner took great pride in his car.
spending a certain portion of his
time in the fair weather of the
year busting and polishing it so
that all might cast envious eyes
upon his possession.
1t has been pointed out that
owners pride in automobiles DE-
creased as a result of all-season use
Of motor cars. In the old days, auto
mobiles were used only in the fair
weather seasons, at which time there
was plenty Of incentive to work
around cars. But when the closed
car popularized winter driving, the
motorist found that he no longer
relished taking care. Of cars. He did
not realize that it simply was the
cold weather of the late fall, winter
and spring which discouraged him.
The new types Of open cars reopen
the sphere of recreational motoring.
There can be no question but that
| the return of the open car as an &C.
cessory to the more practical and
daily-used type closed car marks a
| rebirth of interest in the great out
of-doors and a stimulus to its most
logical accessory-motoring.
New Models Good
Fortunately, the new models are
mounted on chassis and are equipped
with engines which virtually are
trouble-proof. Very little mechanical
attention is required, so owners can
pay strict attention to the appear
ance of their property. Since the
open cars will not be used as extern.
sively as their similarly built closed
models 1t is unlikely that these cars,
while in the hands Of their first
owners, ever will have to 80 to the
repair shop for serious mechanical
trouble. AS d matter OF fact, 1t is
anticipated that many Of them never
will have to be subjected to even
so much as the minor job Of valve
grinding and carbon removal.
One typical family, prosperous
and active, operated two cars last
year. The 7,passenger closed car
ran $4,000 miles. The open road
ster covered but 5000. No troubles
were experienced with the closed
car until it had been driven $4,000
miles. On this basis, 1t seems safe
to say that the open car can be
driven three years before it will
need any special attention iii the
mechanical line. This means that
the average first owner of these
fashionable open jobs will have very
little to worry about except to
keep the car spick and span, for
by the time the car reaches the
punt where II needs mecnanlcAI at
tention he will be trading it in for
the newest type Of open car.
A more or less complete revolu-
ton in motoring appears to be at
hand. The open car is the cause,
for it is proving the open sesame
to many of those joys which were
abandoned when the more business.
like closed car came into popular
.ity. In addition, it has new adj
yantages which the closed car
itself created.
ConvriRht 1q27N