Evening star., 1931-12-06


Cord, pending the establishment
by all the larger cities of ade-
quately stated traffic engineering
departments"
From the above one would
gather that the director of the
department of motor vehicles
and traffic, William A. Van Duzer,
is looking after things here
pretty well.
Well, one could not go much
further without a little more dis
cussiop regarding the oncoming
New Nnrk show, which officially
opens the 1882 auto year.
New Accessories Listed.
With literally scores of brand
new products to be displayed in
the accessory sections of the Ma
tional Automobile Shows this
season, the displays promise to
be colorful and highly interest
ing. Probably there never has
been a year when manufacturers
have revealed such a variety of
really novel things to increase the
comfort, convenience and safety
Of car owners. This applies to
mechanical devices and i'm
provements designed to be in
corporated in new models and
also things applicable to those
already in use. Many of these ad-
vanceS mean extended life for
the car, for the buyer of today is
interested only in purchasing the
type Of vehicle which will last
for number of years. no matter
what its price class. The thought
of a car growing old-fashioned
receives but little consideration,
and the fact that modern paint
and lacquer and chromium plat
ing keep a car looking well for
several seasons-quite a contrast
to the automobiles of decade
ago-means that external ap-
pearance is not the important
factor these days. In short, buy
ing habits and motives have
changed in the past two years.
Surprises in Store.
There are surprises in store for
visitors when the first of the shows
opens in Gand Central Palace,
New York, January 8 to 16. Two
weeks later Middle Westerner5
will view substantially the same
offerings at the Coliseum in Chi
cago. There are many improve
mentS which are highly practical.
Take the case Of anti-freeze solu-
tions, as an example The water
in them evaporateS, or the solu-
ton itself may evaporate, leaving
the car owner with little or no
protection. Along comes a man
ufacturer with a simple condenser
which attaches to the top of the
radiator, catches the condensed
water or anti-freeze solution be-
fore it can escape or be lost and
then returns it to the cooling sys-
tenn. This also prevents loss of
water by evaporation in Summer,
eliminating the need for frequent
refilling. And, speaking further
of anti-freeZe solutions, there is
new hydrometer type of inStru-
ment that may be used to test
any and all of the dozen or more
standard solutions on the market.
Not only does it gauge the freez-
ing point, but it Incorporates a
thermometer and an automatic
conversion chart, so that the read
ing obtained will be absolutely ac-
curate regardless of the tempera-
ture Of the solution.
Even cigar lighters Of the cleo
trically operated variety have
been improved. One of them "en-
joys a good smoke" and auto
matically takes the first few puffs
so that the cigar or cigarette is
delivered lighted and ready. An
other, designed to clamp on the
steering column, goes to the ex-
treme of combining a clock. memo
pad, pencil and holder for a
standard package of 20 cigarettes,
so that the driver need not un-
button a couple of coats to as
certain the time or to locate a
smoke.
There are several types of new
heaters, but, perhaps, the most
ingenious is a portable hot-water
device that need not be attached
to the car in any way. 1t is cleo
trically operated and consists OF
a miniature hot-Water radiator
through which a draft of air Is
directed by a small electric mo-
tor, making the whole thing truly
portable.
Somewhat like the radiator
condenser previously mentioned
is a crankcaSe ventilator and oil
economizer that attaches to the
breather pipe of the engine. Its
function is to provide ventilation
and at the same time prevent the
loss OF oil by being thrown out
the breather and over the out
side OF the engine. 1t also traps
the circulating oil long enough to
vaporize out of it any gasoline
that may have seeped in due to
condensation or excessive use OF
the choke. In this way it pre-
vents oil dilution and iengthens
the life of the oil. y