Evening star., 1929-09-01
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

drive shaft, front brake drums are
all mounted on the chassis frame
of the car, reducing the "un-
sprung" weight several hundred
pounds and giving better weight
distribution.
Advantages Noted.
Advantages are pointed out for
the new car which has been under
tests and experimentation for
more than two years, and while
the final designs were completed
more than six months ago, pro-
ductiOn was held up pending fur
ther exhaustive and crucial tests,
the company being unwilling to
rush baSically new type car on
the market without final and con-
elusive proof of every part of its
design.
The fundamental difference be-
tween a front drive and a rear
drive automobile is that the front
drive provides a pulling" trac-
ton and the rear drive provides
a pushing" one. This change in
traction movement results in a
totally different type OF auto
motive engineering and in many
ways produces a different kind of
performance.
The principle of front drive
propulsion is not new. The fact
IS it dates back to the OK cart and
the Roman chariot. The locomo-
tive has always applied it and
the airplane adopted it early in
development. In the automobile
industry front drives were expert
mented with as early as 1912.
The difficulty which manufac-
turerS have met with has been
to design a universal Joint which
would permit the transmission of
power to the front wheels and at
the same time permit these wheels
to be steered at a sharp angle.
Perfection of such a universal
joint by Auburn engineers has
completely overcome this and the
Cord front wheels can angle at
AZ degrees while in motion, or
greater than that of the average
rear drive car.
Noticeable Feature.
Probably the most noticeable
feature of the car is the cloSenesS
with which it hugs to the ground,
and yet it has a road clearance
equal to most drive cars. An
ordinary sized man standing
alongside it can look over the top.
A sedan, for instance, is only 81
inches high at the peak point, but
even with this low construction
head room is full 38 inches. The
average rear-drive sedan stands 10
to 73 inches, with the same
amount of head room.
In appearance is found a long
hood which is As inches in length.
The front tenders likewise are the
longest used on any production
car, with an overall length of 80
inches. They are of the one-piece
type. Radiator is the "V" type,
similar to the design used on Mil
Ter racing cars, although much
larger, with the top line of the
hood practically parallel. The
body itself is streamlined through
out, with the rear seat on the
same level as the front.
With the new front drive, the
engine, the transmission, the drive
shaft, the differential and the
driving axle become single unit
of power.
The front axle is of three-quar-
ter floating, which consists of a
latituditionally bowed tubular
member joining the steering
knuckles. The propeller shafts
are entirely separate from this, !
entering only at the ends where
the steering knuckles are at
tached. The transmission, differ
entail, short-drive shaft are all
located directly back of the front |
axle and are mounted on the |
frame of the car, becoming sprung |
weight.
Universal joints are provided in |
the propeller shafts. Race drivers |
who have used the front-drive car |
were under the handicap of hav-
ing to make wide turns. Through |
the use of this new type universal |
joint the turning radius of the car |
has been reduced to 81 feet, or less |
than that of any rear-drive car of |
the same wheel base.
Another feature of this front |
axle is that the king pin is per-
pendicular and that no transverse |
inclination has been necessary. |
This permits the use of a longer
king pin and greater bearing sur |
face, resulting in easier steering. |
The spindle is set at 11a-degree |
inclination and the caster angle at |
312 degrees.
Other Features.
In detail the car is powered by |
a straight eight 125-horsepower
Lycoming motor developed espe-
cially for this model. This engine
is reversed from the usual type,
the f1ywheel being in front next
to the transmission. Bore of the
engine is 3A and the stroke is AZ.
with an S. A. E. rating OF 1873.
Piston displacement is 1885, while
the compression ratio is 5.25-1.
optional 6.5-1. Four-point sus-
pension is used.
Pistons are bohnalite OF the
invar strut type. Five main bear
ingS are used and all tortional
vibrations are minimized by 4
vibration dampener and counter
balanced crank shaft.
The cam shaft and accessory
drive are driven by a link belt,
which automatically adjusts itself.
Speedometer drive is direct from
the front axle shaft, obviating
the necessity of changing the
speedometer gears when the axle
ratio Is changed.
Steering gear is of the worm
and roller variety of 20-1 ratio.
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