The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-02-11

the constant Improvement Wltr
This same vast difference
between unit values has also
necessitated safeguards against
dissatisfaction with the prod
uct, another important goal of
automotive experimentation.
The sale of an unsatisfactory
bar of soap is trifing, in its
power to harm the maker,
compared to an unsatisfactory
sale of so large a unit as a
motor car.
The correspondingly deeper ill-will
resulting from the latter sale may
make itself felt very seriously, and
Sc manufacturers have willingly
undertaken heavy Expenditures to in
sure satisfaction.
Literally Built Upon Failures
Motor cars of today are literally
built upon failures-not failures Of
the product tself, but failures of eX-
perimental material and designs of
which the public has known little or
nothing, failures in the laboratory.
Only the experimental men of our
fn ~
can appreciate how aptly the
phrase construction by destroying
fits the long Tedious process which
has given us our motor cars.
Automobile makers have had to
maintain a 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.
All this has gone on behind the
scene.
The motor car is the largest piece
Of machinery customarily entrusted
to unframed hands. The great ma
jority of owners, while steadily
learning more about the use of cars,
are really unframed in their oper-
alton or proper maintenance, and
this fact hens in the manufacturer
with problems rarely encountered by
workers in other lines.
The safety factor has to be con-
sidered very seriously-those de-
tails of design, material and work.
manship which will best promote
the welfare of the driver and the
public.
The manufacturer problem would
be simpler, if, like the locomotive
builedr, he were turning out a prod
uct for use by experts only. AS it
is, he must take every precaution
to insure satisfactory performance,
as we'll as the safety already men
toned, in the hands of persons most
of whom are entirely unskilled in
the care and use of cars.
Cars, unlike locomotives, must
perform on all roads, without ex-
pert attention between runs. They
must be built to withstand abuse
aas we'll as legitimate use-to de-
liver much more than the reason
able and normal service required
of other commodities.
Many Worked Changes
Each ensuing year has seen
marked improvement in motor cars
Twenty, and even ten, years ago,
these improvements had to do large
~ with mechanical features. The
fundamental design of the internal
combustion engine and of the motor
car itself, we're evolving rapidly
Transmissions we're undergoing basic
changes and so we're 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 revolu-
tfonary. 1t required years of prac-
teal demonstration upon the road
to vindicate them and bring about
the condition which exists today.
Fundamental of design and mate
rial are now rather similar among
, all cars. The internal combustion
gasoline engine, developed to vary
ing 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 to its function varying
greatly among different makers, but
its general form so we'll defined thai
the word chassis" has very def
mite meaning.
Such features as rear drive, cleo,
trio starting, lighting and ignition