The Washington times., 1929-01-09
GAR ECONOMICS
EXPLAINED BY
DEALER

Interesting facts on the quantity
OF raw material required for the
construction Of a single automobile
body were related here yesterday by
L. P. Steuart. local Oakland. Pontiac
distributor.
From information supplied by the
Oakland Motor Car company, of
Pontiac, Mich, Mr.. Steuart stated
that every five-passenger sedan in
the new Oakland All.American line
required for its construction 2S6
board feet Of lumber. 21.C square
feet of plate glass. and 252 square
feet of sheet steel.
THE large amount of materials
that go into :. single body" he
stated, explains the wide influ-
ence the automobile has upon the
economic picture of the United
States, and the number OF people
directly or indirectly affected by
the industry. 1t shows. also. why
the automobile annually absorbs
more than so per cent of all plate
glass produced in the United States,
pG4 NCAL VI dl1 IHS steel, anu
more than a billion board feet OF
hard and soft wood.
Frame and Panel
"The lumber and sheet metal
used in building an Oakland sedan
body serves mainly to construct the
framework and paheling. and does
not include special metals, textiles.
and other raw material essential
in giving the body the finished ap.
pearance evident when you see It
on the road. 4
The plate glass of course Is cut
into windows and the Windshield,
the large quantity required for a
single car showing the wide vision
possible in all directions from the
interior of the car. 1
THE steel AMI wood go into the
composite construction. of Fisher
bodies on all Oakland and Pontiac
closed models. Basework is of
wood. with steel overlaid-a com.
bination making for greater safety.
comfort and efficiency than either
material used alone.
Total weight of the finished
body on the Oakland All-American
sedan is $50 pounds, or approx
mately one-third the total weight
OF the car on the ROAD.
"In preparing the steel panels
used in building Oakland bodies the
Fisher corporation has put into SER
vice a toggle press said to be the
largest and only one of its kind
in the world.
Press Is Monster
ut Is a huge mechanical press
weighing 400 tons and performs
five pressing operations simultan-
eously. So large is it and so in
geniously designed that it is capable
of stamping out every body panel
except the rear one from single
sheet of metal
Formerly body panels were
stamped in two sections. mould
ing concealing the line where they
were Joined. The new press. in
turning them out at single stroke. |
adds greatly to their strength and
assures that absolute accuracy of
line and curve so essential to body !
beauty. In this operation, too. is |
formed the smart new body mould |
ing on the latest All.American.
approximately 13 yards of 54 |
inch material are used in upholster
ing the Oakland sedan. Additional |
material also is necessary in head |
lining and side lining. The uphol. |
stery material is mohair in Quaker
gray or antique blue to match the |
new exterior Duco combinations.
THE particular grade of mohair |
used by Fisher in Oakland body |
construction is known as mohair |
velvet. 1t is woven from the hair |
of the Angora goat. imported from
Turkey, combined with selected |
American wool--a long wearing and |
attractive material used for many |
years in the upholstering of quality |
furniture.
"In addition to the materials emu.
Tnerated. many others are consumed |
in making the chromium. plated ex. |
terror hardware, the specially de. |
signed interior fittings, the adjust.
able drivers seat. which bv a |
thumb nut operating as easily as a |
window control may be moved back. |
ward or forward three inches. and |
the smart side cowl ventilators oper. |
ated by foot control"
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WE'D AUTO