Evening star., 1933-01-01
CAR CHASSIS
| TO STIR INTEREST
U. S. Manufacturers Await
ina Demonstration of Model
From France.
speclal pispatch 10 The star.

OpeSldl DlSpAtCu 70 Inc ELhI.
DETROIT, December 3l.-One Of the
items on the program of the automo-
bile executives who 60 East next week
for the New York Automobile Show will
be the examination of a new chassis.
which has been brought to this country
by Andre Dubonnet of France.
NJ Dubonnet, whose name is best
known In this country for his bever-
ages and cordials first exhibited the
new chassis at the Paris salon last
october. 1t received such favorable
comment that he made arrangements
Immediately for display at the New
York show
Overtures already have been made
toward several Detroit manufacturers
for adoption Of the new frame, but
the New York show will provide the
first opportunity for thorough observa-
ton among sales managers and en-
gineers
M. Doubonnet invented his new
chassis in the belief that automobile
builders erred in copying old carriage
lines and adopting springs out of keep
ing with the rest of the automobiles
construction. He has developed his
chassis without any necessity for
springs.
Each of the four wheels is, after a
fashion, an independent unit The
front axle has been eliminated A
special system of mechanical suspen-
sion replaces the springs.
Interested In ResiIiency.
The thing that is intriguing Detroit
manufacturers is the promise made by
Dubonnet of greater resiliency for the
whole automobile Proposals for the
elimination of the axle are not new.
What Detroit makers are interested in
learning Is whether bed can be found
for the automobile body that will at the
same time bring no new problems OF
vibration or noise.
Meanwhile. in the weeks interim un-
| til the New York show, automobile ex-
ecutives will watch the first automobile
registrations for the new year. For
the last two years there have been de-
clines for the whole United States in
the number Of licenses issued.
The arrival of the new year always
affords some means Of estimating posi-
BILE registrations for the ensuing year
as motorists rush to relicense It also
revives annually the discussion among
the motor executives of the entire prob
lem Of the taxes levied against the in
dustry
Manufacturers would welcome any
measures that would bring a reduction
in license fees. While realizing that the
trend awav from property taxes is fore
ing an added burden on the automobile
in the form Of gasoline taxes and license
fees. the industry points to the decline
in the number of automobiles now on
the road as an argument in favor OF
lower registration rates.
Ontario Fees Gut
Detroit has taken some encourage
ment from the action of the Providence
of Ontario, which slashed license fees
this month. The rates for plates were
cut variously from 16 to 25 per cent
Ontario officials said they believed the
move would increase the number ol
registrations for 1888.
Interest has been manifest also In the
proposal heard in Connecticut that the
Legislature legalize operation Of motor
vehicles until July / with 1882 license
plates. Thereafter, the sponsors of the
move propose. the registration Of cars
would be necessary on July ! OF each
year. Those owners who registered
their cars before the Legislature acted
would be permitted to use 1888 plates
until July J. 1884.
| Automobile manufacturers might look
with some favor on movement to
| transfer the time of relicensing cars
from the first Of the year to July l.
Employment is more general during
Midsummer Pocketbooks often are de-
pleted after Christmas buying under
present arrangements On the other
hand many States have been lenient in
recent wears In allowing motorists tc
drive with obsolete license plates as late
as March Is.
Several States recently have attempt
ed the experiment Of selling plates on
the instaIlment plan. Such system
has been found to have its drawbacks
however.
All but few Of the State Legisla-
lures will convene during the next few
months. During their deliberations the
automobile world will study with much
interest anv efforts to make adjustments
in license fees.
/ (Copyright, 1o330