Evening star., 1936-11-08

As automobile manufacturers speed
up their assembly lines to meet the
demand for new cars, production in
the industry again Is reaching normal
proportions. according to the North
American Newspaper Alliance.
Close to 100000 cars will have been
turned out during the current week.
Ford was the last of the major manu-
facturers to get into active produc-
ton, but the Dearborn contribution
to output already is being felt in the
statistical columns.
The two largest producers of cars
Ford and Chevrolet-drew the eyes
of the motor world with their gigantic
sales meetings. The unveiling of the
1887 Ford line before 1000 dealers in
Detroit was attended with much cer-
emony. Meanwhile, Chevrolet, by its
series Of dealer meetings throughout
the country, projected plans for SELL
ing 100000 cars during the coming
IL months.
Companies like Buick, Studebaker
and Packard that were on the market
with their 1887 cars well ahead of
the low-priced makers are working
feverishly to supply the demand for
their new models. Dealers still report
an unabated rush of orders.
Manufacturers who have made
plans to push their national sales
campaigns along with the shows are
expecting spectacular November sales.
These companies are basing their
plans on the response made to display
models already placed in dealer hands.
Much of the interest in the pro-
posed merger between Nash and Kel-
vinator centers upon George w. Ma
son, who will head the new corpora
iton as president. Detroit is asking
whether Mason will duplicate in the
automotive field the success he al
ready has established in the electric
refrigeration field.
As part of its 1887 program the
Hudson Motor Car Co. has announced
complete line of Terraplane COM
mercial cars. The line will consist of
a three -Quarter-t0n panel delivery
truck, three -quarter-ton cab pickup
express, utility coach, utility coupe
pickup and a station wagon.
The Terraplane utility coach takes
much of the form of passenger car
of advanced styling. In fact, the
manufacturer says it can be used as
such. The back seat lifts out. pro-
viding carrying space Of 1885 cubic
feet with 1,000-pound cargo capacity.
The utility coach has been a pop
ular vehicle among manufacturing
and wholesale organizations, mer-
chants, statesmen, farmers and others.
1t has much of the appearance of the
Terraplane utility coupe, which also
has an exterior appearance resembling
passenger car, but which can be
converted quickly into a utility pick
up with box type body behind the
front seat.
The importance of the Southwest
ern territory Of the United States in
the General Motors program has been
emphasized again by the establish
ment Of a new proving base at Phoe-
nix, Ariz.
General Motors engineers have been
taking experimental cars into the
Southwest for tests that would be i'm
possible at the corporations testing
grounds at Milford, Mich, because of
climatic and geographic conditions.
The new base will be known as the
Argonaut proving ground.
The total retail sales volume of
automobile dealers rose more than IS
per cent for the first nine months of
1886, according to figures in the hands
of the National Automobile Dealers
Association.
Total retail sales of dealers who
answered a recent N. A. D. A. ques-
tionnaire touched $157,074,876 for the
first nine months. This compares
with s114,962,169 for the same period
of 1885. For the nine months period,
the percentage of operating profit to
total sales was 2.73, compared to 1.78
in 1885. The increase in operating
profit reflected, in part, a reduction
in expense, which, in per cent Of total
sales, was 14.4s. compared to 1915
in 1885.