Evening star., 1932-01-31
ENGINEER OUTLINES
HISTORY OF AUTO
Development Of Modern Gas
Car Traced, Step
by Step.
by J. Z, RUTH

the flrst public garage and repair ShOp
was openeQ in New York City. The
year 1900 brought the first Automobile
Show in New York at the old Madison
Square Garden, only three manufac-
turerS who were exhibitors at this first
show are still producing cars, Oldsmo-
bile Packard and Peerless. The Jones
speedometer also appeared during 1900,
as well as the automatic spark advance
on OlGmObile Packard and Mercedes
and Columbia brought out the first car
with the engine mounted in front.
The following year, 1901, saw shaft
drive introduced for the first time, the
first traffic law was passed by Connect
icut and the first automobile endur-
anca contest was held between New
York and Buffalo In 1902 LOCOmObile
first used four cylinder engines in reg
ular production, while Alexander VIM
ton built and made records with the
first straight eight racing car, this
history making car is now preserved in
the National Museum at Washington.
Msrmon used three point suspension
for the power plant.
Anti Skid Chains.
Anti-skid chains made their first ap-
pearance in 1908, radiators were being
placed in front of the engine for the
frst time, the A. o. Smith Co. made
the first pressed steel frame and glass
windShields made their first appear
ance The year 1904 saw many inno-
vations. the side entrance body began
to Supersece the rear entrance type,
Z. " Hartford brought shock absorbers
over from France, while automatic car
buretors began to take the place OF
the old mixing valve, Prayer Miller In
troduced blower cooling on the air
cooled car and Pierce ARROW began the
use Of pressure fabrication throughout
the engine.
Remy Bros. in 1905 built the first
American magnetos Charles Y. Knight
invented the sleeve-valve engine, Ma
tional introduced six-cylinder cars,
Marmon began the use OF cast alumi-
mum bodies, Adams -Farwell brought
out the first rotary engine. a three
cylinder type mounted at the rear of
the car; the highWheel buggy type
also put in its appearance. In 1905
Bosch introduced direct high-tenSion
masnetos to the American trade. Ray
Harroun brought out a sprtngtype
bumper, the forerunner Of the present
bumper, Peerless introduced the drop
frame, single drop at the rear. The
electric vibrator horn was born, Ray
bestos began the manufacture Of woven
asbestos brake lining WEIGH made the
first use Of the overhead camshaft and
syncro-nesh transmission.
Nineteen hundred and seven saw the
first use Of mechanical fuel pumps and
down draft csrburetiOn by Matheson,
the first car equipped with a self
starter was shown by Winton who also
introduced air cleaners and carouretor
sllencers as well as the tOur-dOor open
body. Northern made the first use of
air brakes and air clutch control and
also first used the single block engine
casting, the White steam car made first
use Of the two-spced rear axle, War
ner brought out the magnetic drag
type speedometer and taXicabs made
their first appearance in New York.
Motor Driven Horns.
The Klaxon motor driven horns were
introduced in 1908, Daimler Knight
cars, with sleeve-valve engines. went
into production; Ford changed over to
the left-hand steering and also built
a six-cylinder car Electric gear shift
ing appeared in 1909 on the s. @. v
cars, bakelite was placed on the market
and the torpedo-type four-door open
body became popular. Cadillac intro
ouced the Delco electric starter in
1911, the silent timing gear made its
appearance and Pierce Arrow brought
out Worm-driye trucks. With 1912
came the Boyce motometer and spiral
beVei drive by Packard
The BendiX starter drive was intro
duced in 1918, Cadillac used a two
speed rear axle, wire wheels of the
triple laced spoke type were placed on
American cars for the first time, Ed
vards-Knight used worm geardrive on
passenger cars Nineteen-thirteen also
was the beginning Of the cycle car era.
YTYb,t = ly- rfr
brought out the ei2ht-Cylinder V-type
engine in 1914 and also used ther-
mostatic control Of water circulation,
Stewart Warner introduced the vacuum
feed fuel tank and nickel plating Of
radiator shells. lamps and trimming
became popular.
Packard in 1915 brought out the
famous twin six the first l2-cylinder
car; aluminium alloy pistons first used
in passenger cars, Manchester torsinal
vibrational dampener used by Packard,
self-locking differential used by Mon
roe. Nineteen-sixteen saw the highest
development on the steam car: the
Doble-Detroit steam car was intro
duced, with full automatic control Of
water feed and burner; water tank was
only filled every 1000 miles.
In 1917 c. w. Nash took over the
Thomas B. Jeffrey Co.. changing the
names OF the Rambler and Jeffrey
cars TO Nash. In 1918 the entire auto
mobile industry was engaged in war
work. Nineteen nineteen found the in
duStry slowly getting back into pro-
duction of passenger cars again. Frank
Inns introduction of the electric va
porizer in the carburetOr being the only
innovation. Nineteen-twenty found D.
Mccall White, formerly of Cadillac
building the Lafayette and Fred Du-
senberg building q stock car under his
name. In 1921 Dusenberg brought out
the first straight eight in regular pro-
duction; this car was also the first to
use hydraulic brakes on all four wheels.
Rich introduced the use Of high
tungsten steel and cobalt chrome steel
for exhaust valves, replacing cast-iron
valves Rickenbacker in 1922 began
the use Of the now popular front fly
wheel in addition to the conventional
fiyWheel: Thompson introduced silicon
chromium stee! for exhaust valves
Nineteen-twenty-three saw the first
balloon tires used in this country,
alemite high-pressure chassis lubrica
ton, duco lacquer finish placed on the
market, the use Of ethyl gasoline began
and air cleaners came into popular use.
Other Introductions.
Chrysler introduced the purolstor oil
Alter in 1924 and Franklin introduced
q clutch vibration dampener; gas-elec-
trio drive for buSseS came into general
use In 1925 and 1928 saw the introduc-
sion Of the hypoid gear drive by Pack
ard, safety glass wired glass; used by
Btutz in body construction; Bowen
centralized chassis fabrication intro
sllced b. Chandler. Chromium plating
OF automobile parts came into general
use in 1927; the four-speed internal
gear transmission also came into the
field.
In 1928 the A. c. mechanical fuel
pump became popular and Cadillac
began the use OF the now popular
synchro-mesh transmission, With 1929
came 'front.' wheel drive cars by Cord
and Ruxton, the only innovation Of the
year. studebaker in 1880 introduced