Evening star., 1933-01-29
BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.

The automotive dawn comes up like
thunder out Of Detroit and Washing
ton finds itself ready to start the new
day with an open mind, loosened
purse strings and a song Of progress IN
its heart. The 1888 show presents mo-
tordom's most sensational cars. Be-
cause there has been no depression in.
engineering genius and manufacturing
ingenuity american industry and busi-
ness finds itself about to realize that
long promised new deal.
ION With the Play"
We have had the prologue Of prom
ises and predictions, the previews and
the peeping under the tent of the big
show. Now that the industry orders
"on with the play" we find the 1888
car dazzling in its beauty and ingenu-
ity. 1t has gone way beyond our ex-
pectations. Every year the motoring
public is aware of the forward march
of the motor car, but this year the ad-
vance is startling. You will come away
from the show thoroughly convinced
that much better automobiles are be-
ing built and Americans will buy
them.''
Believe it or let 1t pass, the industry
is offering two new four-cylinder cars.
both Of which boast Of 80 miles to the
gallon of gas. There is a new venti-
lating system which does away with
drafts and other closed-car annoy
ances. A new type of inertia-con-
trolled shock absorber has revolution
lied riding. the device automatically
adjusting itself to the contour of the
road. You will start several of the
1888 cars by pressing on the acceler-
ator, the conventional starter button
being cast into the discard.
One might anticipate fewer new Of
ferings after a year of reduced sales
volume, but quite the opposite is found.
There are actually new name plates.
For example, Continental Motors is Of
fering three new cars-a vibrationless
four and two skies. Hudson Is not
only offering a straight-eight Terra
plane to supplement the six, but has
revived the Hudson super-six. This
is the first time the Franklin olympic
has been in the show. The new Willys
four is another newcomer. Lincoln has
come forth with a VIZ priced from
s2,700 to supplement its larger Via.
The Plymouth six also makes its show
debut.
Seem Like New Makes.
Many Of the other cars which have
not changed their motor type or
jumped into different price class
have been improved to such point
that they have all the earmarks Of
being new makes. The new Dodge six
with its transmission silent in all
speeds, its standard equipped dough
nut tires and its steering arm that
runs parallel to the front axle instead
of to the frame is an excellent Illus
tration of this group. All the General
Motors cars have adopted pointed
radiators. deep-skirted tenders and the
Fisher no-draft ventilating system.
Studebaker has gone in for power
braklng to complete its free wheeling
cycle. On the cars bearing the Stude-
baker name plate this power braking is
done by means of a vacuum booster.
while on its cars bearing the Pierce
Arrow name plate braking is accom-
plished by means of an ingenious me
cnanical foot" The Rockne six goes
into its second year after a victorious
season against every possible handicap.
The automobile is going automatic.
Quite a number of cars feature the
Stromberg fuel unit, consisting of
doWndraft' carburetion and an auto
matte choke. You merely open the
throttle by the hand control and switch
trolled by a thermostat. Also there is
thermostatic control of the carburetor
heat regulation. This has made it
possible to do away with the carbure-
tor heat control formerly seen on the
instrument panel. The new REQ Fly
ing Cloud and the REQ Royale utilize
three thermostats. Chevrolet, Chrys-
Ter and De Soto feature a combined
accelerator pedal and starter. This is
one of the most ingenious arrange
ments of the year. Stepping on the
accelerator feeds gas and cranks the
motor. AS soon as the motor starts
its own intake suction pulls on valve
that cuts out the starter motor cir
cult. The instant the motor stalls 1t
re-cranks.
Add to these automatic features the
Enthusiastically as well as inertia con-
trolled shock absorbers, and the SIM
plicity of the new cars becomes evi-
dent. There is much less for the driver
to do. He can keep his mind on the
road. One of the most interesting of
the automatic features is the hydraulic
ard models. These permit zero clear
ances constantly.
Daring in Body Design.
It is a curious thing that while the
manufacturers have definitely aban-
doned the idea of swinging into front
drive and have abandoned the four
speed transmission, they have been
very daring in body design. The pace
set by REQ and Graham with their
aerodynamic models has been accepted
as sort Of challenge. John N. Willys
has gone virtually all the way toward
streamlining with the egg-shaped bodies
that grace his sensational new six and
four Even Lincoln has gone in for a
scoop-typc radiator The new Stude-