Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29
EVIDENCE OF TOLL
MARKS AUTO SHOW
Endless Experimentation Re.
CURED to Develop Cars at
Reasonable Prices.

OF all the visitors at the automobile
show few outside the industry spon-
sorlns that exhibit appreciate the years
ci toll. Of testing and Of endless eX-
Fermentation which have made pos
Sible az prices within the reach of all
these luxurious automobile creations Of
today. according TO e. T. Strong, preSi-
dent Of tie Buick Corporation. The au-
tos..otive industry stands alolte among
all the nultltariouS industries OF the
world. both III the extent Of this expert
men;ing and III such aggressive self
Improvement
1t is considerably easier to sell a bar
OF soap than TO sell All automobile. In
fact. with the exception of a home, the
automobile is the largest single item IN
the average family'S purchases, and thiS
fact is reflected il the care with which
cars are chosen. The size OF the auto
mobile investment has Spurred compe-
iltion among the makers Of motor cars
and thus has been an important factor
in the constant Improvement witnessed
by passing years
This same vast difference between
unit values has also neceSSitated safe
guards against dissatisfaction with the
product. another important goal of
automotive experimentation. The sale
Of an unsatisfactory bar of soap is
trifing III It's power 10 harm the maker
compared TO an unsatisfactory sale OF
50 large a unit as motor car. The
co-reSpon6lngly deeper ill-will resulting
from the latter sale may make itself
felt very seriously. and SO manutac-
turers have willingly undertaken heavy
expenditures 10 insure satisfaction.
Cars Built Upon Failures"
Motor cars of today are literally built
uDon failures failures OF the prod
uct Itself, but failu,s Of experimental
materials and deS!gss. Of whichs the
public has known bStle or nothing
failures IN the laboratory. Only the ex-
per:mental men OF sur automobile
manufacturing concerns can appreciate
how aptly the phrase construction by
DESTROYING fits the long. tedious process
which has given us cur motor cars.
Automobile makers have had 10 MAIN
tain q constant and costly search for
the new and better thing. while at the
same time producing and marketing
the best Of which they were capable at
the moment. AL this has gone on be-
hind the scenes.
The motor car is the largest piece OF
machinery customarily intrusted to I'M
trained hands. The great majority OF
owners. while steadily learning more
about the Use Of cars, are really I'M
trained in their operation u proper
maintenance and this fact Inns N the
manufacturer with problems arely en-
countered by workers in other lines.
The safety factor has to be considered
very Serlously-thoSe details OF design,
material and workmanship which will
best promote the welfare of the driver
and the public.
The manufacturers problem would
be simpler, if, like the locomotive
builder. he were turning out product
for use by experts only. AS 1t is, he
must take every precaution to insure
satisfactory performance. as well as the
safety already mentioned. In the hands
Of persons most Of whom are entirely
unsGilled IN the care and use Of cars.
Cars. unlike locomotives. must perform
On all roads, without expert attention
between runs They must be built TO
withstand abuse as well as legitimate
use-to deliver much more than the
reasonable and normal service required
Of other commodities.
Improvements Developed Each Year.
Each ensuing year has seen marked
improvement in motor cars. Twenty,
and even 10 years ago, these improve
u@GA1So 44dQ " % 2dIEclg VIII IIlcIA1dL-
ical features. The fundamental design
OF the internal combustion engine, and
OF the motor itself, were evolving rap
Idly. TransmiSsions were undergoing
basic changes, and so were steering
gear. springs and many other units. not
only IN design but IN materials as well
In that day many Of these changes
were little short OF revolutionary It
required years Of practical demonstra-
ton upon the road 10 yindicate them
and bring about the condition which
exists today.
Fundamentals Of design and material
are now rather similar among all cars.
The internal combustion gasoline en-
CINE, developed 10 varying degrees by
different makers, has displaced other
types OF power plant as the driving
force. A chassis consisting Of frame,
power plant. wheels and springs is the
STANDARD body mounting, its adaptation
70 rs function varying greatly among
different makers, bit its general form
10 Vel defined that the word "cnas-
Els" has very definite meaning Such
features As rear drive, electric starting.
ignt4ng and ignition, and tour-wi1eeI
brakes are almost universal, differing.
among themselves. only in the degree 10
which they are refined. Some makers
have devoted special attention 10 the
Operating ease Of their product, yet the
1act remains that the man who can
operate one car can, comfortably or
ct!4erwisc, operate them all.