Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
CONSTANT CHANGES MAKE
FOR BEAUTY IN MOTOR CARS
Manufacturers Emphasize Length and
Lowness in Design of Bodies-Many
Innovation" Are Old.

Outstripping the pace Of the me-
chanical changes in present-day auto
mobiles to make them better and easier
cars to handle and drive, are the multi
tudinous changes in body styles that
have made the American automobile
the handsomest product of the age of
four wheels. The 1880 automobile not
only is a finer mechanical product,
geared to far higher speed than its
predecessor of half decade back, an
easier car to handle in traffic and on
the open road, but it is easier on the
eyes, cheaper on the pocketbook and an
ever-present Joy and satisfaction to the
eye of the woman member of the house
hold who uses it so frequently.
Obviously car builders strive for ex-
elusive effects. If they can find an
automobile that hits popular fancy in
appearance and matches its competitors
in the same price class in mechanical
specifications, the success OF that car
is assured. And not only for the season
Of it's exclusiveness, for keen-eyed
public knows the leaders in the field
and is quick to sense imitation by COM
petitors. The manufacturer who steps
out with a new body design is certain
to start something in the automotive
field If his design catches on with his
purchasing public. For many years
body styles remained practically sta
tionary, affected, 1t is true, by the de-
signs of European designers, but contin-
uing along much the same general lines
wheel turned and the change in body
design has been rapid since that time.
Today the American automobile has
moved into front-wheel drive and into a
four speed transmission whose road
ability factors are matched only by its
appearance.
Woman Credited With Changes.
There is not the slightest doubt that
milady has had her share in this radical
change in body design and general body
establishment. Three years ago new
line Of automobiles came into the me-
dium-price field, carrying with, them
changes in body design. Other manu-
facturers, quick to sense public approval
of the change, followed the general pat
tern of the changes and today the high,
narrow lined radiator, is standard on
the 1880 car. But that same manufac-
turer has continued his research and
has gone into the golden age Of history
for the motivations that appear on his
product.
Some observers take the view that
style creators are moving toward the
inverted "skyscraper effect" in the au-
tomobileS of 1880. Keen, indeed, must
be the eye to catch this effect, how
ever, If 1t actually is there, even though
the modern trend Is toward high lines
at the front, particularly in the sport
models, sloping to low lines at the rear.
Along the bodies of the new cars the
belt line continues to outline the mid
point and add to the illusion of extreme
length and lowness.
Even so, it takes fanciful eye to In
terpret the effect of the modern sky
scraper, with its bulky base narrowing
to point at the peak.
1t does not take an overly keen eye,
however, to discern that even in the
cheaper grade of automobiles this year
the attempt has been general to create
an impression out Of proportion to the
actual measurements. Many OF the new
cars actually are long and low. Others,
judged by measurement, are short and
stubby. But all, because of use Of GER
tain definite laws of appearance, give
the appearance of litheness and agility
created by that, same long and low Llu-
sion. No matter how low the price, the
car of today appears low and rakish,
even though 1t may not actually be so,
when measured by the yardstick and the
rule.
Hoods Are Long and Low.
In the matter of the lengthy hood
found to be prevalent on the 1880 auto
mobile, many manufacturers go through
no process of illusionment to bring about
the appearance of rakishnesS. Eight-in-
line engines need long hoods to cover
them. They need no tricky belt lines
Or creation of appearances to make them
look low and long. They actually are
low and long, measured by the eye, or
by the engineer. The psychological
ic
appearance. The "five-foot hood" Is a
necessity, and an engineering one at
that. Tradition associates the long,
low hood with European ideas OF luxury,
but it is an actuality now and a ne
cessity, too. Because Of their mechanical
design, any modern cars must have
hoods of extreme length. Just because
be excessively wide, and high, and cum
bersome looking. So the engineer has
given the body designer something to
work with and the designer has done
his lob we'll Front-Wheel drive cars
carry SO much mechanical equipment in
front that a long hood is a necessity.
In addition, they all have eight-in-line
engines
And to clinch the matter further, as
wheelbases have heightened, hoods have
been forced to lengthen merely as a mat
ter of proportion. A car OF 145-tnch
wheeIbase must have a hood in proper
ton, even though the engine may be
q short, stubby affair itself.
Front-wheel drive has had another
marked effect on body design. Because
Of the absence of the bulky differential
at the rear Of the car, which must be
compensated by increased height at that
end, the front-wheel drive car design
ers have been able to build their cars
lower to the ground. Top heights only
slightly in excess of feet are not un-
common, and it is no longer impossible
| for a man of average height standing
on the ground to look over the top OF
his car. II the cars were not so low
| they might give the appearance OF
squattiness and lose the impression Of
speed and agility they possess.
One Change Proved Unpopular.
| Yet in the chase after the will o. the
wisp of exclusive design 1t now is gen.
orally admitted that one manufacturer
went too far with a radical change In
body design last year. The car OF the
company this year has altered the lines
of last years car only slightly, but with
what a change In general appearance
Hardly could the car of this year be
called the car of 1929 Kere it not noted