Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, Mich, November a.
Builders of custom bodies and coach
work for the automobile industry will
hold the first of the annual American
salons in Chicago November g.
This will be the twenty-fifth annual
show of de luxe automobiles and, con-
trary to usual procedure, Chicago will
see 1t ahead of New York. Heretofore
the first exhibition has been held in
New York the first week of December,
the Chicago exhibition being deferred
until the end of January. when the
annual national automobile show Is put
on in that city.
The custom body builders. or, as some
of them preferred to be called, the
carrossers, form an exclusive group Of
which the public hears comparatively
little, unless particular builder has
chosen to ally himself with one Of the
large producers of bodies for stock cars
marketed under familiar names.
Linked With Car Makers.
Because the motor car body and its
style has become so to 10 per cent of
the deciding factor in the sale of cars
during the last three years, quantity
producers of bodies have made alliances
with body craftsmen, who operate as
divisions of a parent concern.
Thus Fleetwood several years ago
Joined with the Fisher Body Corpora
ton. and, serving the Cadillac division
Of General Motors, has Of itself be-
come known as the maker of line
of cars coupled with Cadillac and La
Sale in the off1cial listing.
In like manner lie Baron, Detroit,
has been united with the Briggs Manu-
featuring Co., and Dietrich, Inc, has
become a part Of the Murray Body
Corporation. Brunn & Co. OF Buffalo
devote the larger part Of their facilities
and efforts to the Lincoln Division OF
the Ford Motor Co., and Locke builds
for Chrysler.
These and the remainder Of the
group. comprising such names as Brew
ster Derham, Holbrook, Judklns, MUIR
phy, Rollston, weyman and Willoughhy
will be represented in the salon at chi
cago.
scented bv chassis in the show will be
Cadillac. Cord, Cunningham. Duesen-
berg, Franklin, Isotta- Fraschini tItal-
SAM. La Sale, Lincoln, Minerva, BEL
gian), Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Rolls
Royce, Ruxton and Stutz.
Il ia estimated that the value OF the
cars on exhibition will exceed 81 ,5OO,-
600. How far 1t will go above that fig-
Tire depends on lIlC uuIlDCk IA hlhAFAH
tlal car exhibits. The salon. being held
In a hotel, usually has only limited
amount Of space Tor disposal, and most
of the cars that find places on the floor
will list at $4,000 and above.
In indicating coming styles, the salon
usually is six to nine months ahead In
new body lines. upholstery and interior
trimmings that later find way into
stock passenger car models. Ordinarily
the skill of the coach builders is applied
to the body from the hood backward,
and the extra value is wrought into de
luxe materials for cushioning and seat
ing comfort, hand-carving and par
uuetry in beautiful woods, together with
the skill of the artifcer in metal. which
Is worked into door handles, window
controls and lighting fixtures, coming
under the general term Of hardware.
Two Divisions of Design.
Advance forecasts of the fashion thai
will be exemplifled in the cars to be
shown at Chicago call for two divisions
of design to be on view. One, following
the prevailing vogue for elaboration and