Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28

Grand Central Palace, marking
its thirty-frst annual exhibition
in the great metropolis. Starting
y week earlier this year, the show
7ill reFaain open as usual its tul
week, closing the following Satur'
day night.
Washington dealers will make
their pilgrimage as well as will
hundreds of interested residents
of the National Capital. Helpful
ideas may be obtained for the
annual show here, scheduled for
the last week in January.
MotOrdom Voices Optimism.
Motordom is inclined to be
optimistic. There is a reason for
this school of thought. ConServa-
tive estimates point to more than
a million requirements to be
made during the coming year in
passenger cars and a goodly per-
centage in the motor truck field
This is not essentially due to a
desire for fashionable or luxurious
transportation, but simply because
many very old cars are wearing
out to the point where they are
no longer economical to run. A
large number are not worth their
upkeep in these days. The safety
factor also is considered by many
who find old style rear wheel
brakes no longer adequate. Then,
too, thousands now use their
passenger cars for business as well
us utility and pleasure, and the
wisdom of Scrapping ANTICIPATED
automobiles which have seen their
best days is somewhat obvious.
One thing is certain, namely:
That the factories are producing
newly designed models for 1881
and have invested millions of
dollars IN new machinery, jigS,
dies and materials necessary for
new production. The manufac-
turers have not let depression talk
interfere with progress. In this,
the industry deserves credit for
alternating, to an extent, the UNI
employment situation. For it
must be borne in mind that one
worker out of every ten of our
population depends, either direct
~ or indirectly, upon the auto
motive industry for his income.
Largest and Smallest.
The reports forecast the promise
that the 1881 National Shows at
New York and Chicago will GO
down in automotive history as the
expoSitionS that produced what
Ia Ark
assuredly the smallest of auto
mobiles - thereby setting two
styles at once. And in either case
more for the money is offered
than ever before. What the out
come will be and how the trend
will swing from both Of these
extremes remains to be seen.
Then, too, it would appear that
several veritable revelations in
car production will set the 1891
show apart from an others.
There is the company manu-
featuring the 1e-cylinder crea-
ton which proved a sensation at
last years show, following this up
with a new IL. These models
have the distinction Of being
either the largest or one Of the
largest American cars made.
Then there is the bantam crea-
ton at the opposite extreme, even
more bantaIniSh than last year.
The effect of these already is
being felt, for at least one maker
will unveil a new "16" at the show
and another baby car also is
promised by a very progressive
manufacturer. More lbs are also
rumored.
New Models in All Factories.
Practically every factory has
newly designed models through
out, although basic fundamentals
of design exhibit less change than
ever before. Standardization of
construction and stability of de-
sign are being reached. A whole
flock Of new eight cylinder models
will be offered. Skies are In the
minority.
Safety has come in for more
attention than ever, although its
achievement has not altered APP
pearance noticeably. Thus we have
more steel bodies than ever, and
shatterproof glass is appearing in
even the lowest priced category.
Another change, this time more
apparent, comes from the much
wider use of wire wheels and the
wholesale removal of spare tires
from the back of the body to
wells in the tenders.
Changes Made in Designs.
Design changes that mark the
1881 cars are for the most part
hidden, though their importance,
for that reason, is none the less.
There is oil cooling, for example.
A couple Of makers have caused
the lubricating oil to circulate
through part of the radiator as a
means of increasing oil life; in
another case a tiny oil radiator
Is built into the lubricating sys-
tenn; in others, special ribs cast
on the crankca1e serve to keep
down oil temperatures to the end
that the viscosity and life of the
oil may be maintained over longer
periods.
One of the more important de-
velopments of the year, and which
may easily share honors with the
new multi-cylinder power plants
is the development of better
transmiSsions. Just as the three
speed sliding gear-set was hailed
-