Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28
BUYERS URGED TO USE CARE
IN SELECTING 1880 MODELS
Combination of Features Is Held More
Significant Than Adoption of Any
One Innovation.

that demand exists for it in the pop
ular mind.
Probably the only individual feature
of design that will be prophetic this
Summer, other than the combination OF
features referred to above, is the 'front.'
drive principle. The cars embodying
this idea are not being marketed to
demand for increased dividends. Nor
do they strike any popular fancy.
Priced higher than many OF the very
finest cars on the market, they are up
against serious competition, and 1t will
not be possible to decide whether 'front.'
drive is to point the way until 1t Is
known just how much these products
cut into the business of the other high
grade cars.
From all indications it appears that
no buyer need to be too seriously con-
cerned with lines and appearance. In
the interests of increased business there
will be more individuality in body de-
sign, with most manufacturers trying
to create in the minds of the public a
desire for ownership of the latest. Sew
eral manufacturers have already DEM
onstrated themselves to be the excep-
ton to the rule by stabilizing their lines
and by giving Their. products marked
individuality. Even here. however, Sc
lection is largely a matter of taste, for
which, as the world we'll knows, there
is no accounting.
Construction Is Important.
OF more importance than design IS
the construction of the 1890 car body.
This should be looked into carefully.
One should ask: rs the trend toward
all steel or combination? If combina-
ton bodies are used, what are the chief
improvements? Are bodies being hung
lower, and will this increase or decrease
wheel base?"
Something on the same order is inn
| portant in brakes. There can be no
doubling the keen rivalry between the
mechanical and hydraulic forces. Ex-
perimental work with electric brakes has
advanced to the point where their ap-
pearance on a production job may be
expected any time. OF greater impor-
lance to Summer shoppers in the motor
mart, however, are the detailed changes
in design. There seems to be a trend
away from the three-Shoe brake to the
tWo-shoe variety. and nodded liners are
being used more and more in place OF
the conventional woven kind of lining.
In mechanical hook-ups they have
succeeded in doing away with the uni
verSal joints for the front brake shafts
on several makes. This plan Is likely
to be followed as the 1880 models are
unveiled. Also. there is likely to be
further development Of the system in
volving combination of hydraulic with
vacuum booster brakes.
| Very significant will be the develop
ments in high compression. Perhaps of
greater importance than the number of
cylinders under the hood is the COM
preston ratio of the power plant. Will
this bn higher or lower in the new Jobs?
Or just the same as for the 1929
models? A new anti-knock fuel Is 60
ing into production that is believed to
make still higher compression possible,
but the public has not considered that
the advantages of high compression are
greatly dependent upon the willingness
of owners to keep timing properly set.
This may be told in the detail specifi-
cations of the advance guard Of new
models.
It's going to be harder than ever to
tell which way the wind is blowing in
motorland, and the wise buyer will con-
slider the straws rather than the weather
vanes.
Copyright by The Russell service)