Evening star., 1947-09-21
Auto Plants Prepare
For Model Chances,
Hudson Acts First
By David J. WiIkie
A,seeloksd Press Av.omo,Iv. sJi,er

promote buyer interest but it is going
ahead with plans for q lot Of
changes between now and next
spring.
First to announce q shut down for
new model operations is Hudson,
which closed Friday night to make
plant and equipment changes needed
to put q new model into production.
Others Of the so-called 'independ-
ents"-those outside the big three"
of General Motors, Ford and Chrys-
ler-are expected to follow within
the next few weeks.
Hudson's disclosure that the new
model will be lower. yet retain all
the required headroom and that
riders upon entering 1t will "step
down into. the vehicle, started no
little speculation in automotive
circles as to the styling Of other new
models yet to come.
The fact that the new Hudson will
be only so inches from the ground
to the top, with much lowered CEN
ter Of gravity, was another interest
ing detail disclosed by the Hudson
management as 1t prepared for a
few weeks Of assembly line shut
downs for the completion of q $l6,-
100000 change-over program.
Outward Style = Secret.
Hudson gave no information about
outward styling of the new car. A. E
Barit, company president, did say
however, that passengers will ride
within the frame of the vehicle
rather than on top of It," that the
rear seat will be ahead Of the rear
wheels and that although the new
model will be but rs inches wide at
the rear wheels, its rear seat will be
SO inches wide.
It takes from four to six weeks tc
complete a model change-over
sometimes, II the contemplated
changes are extensive. even more
time is required. Most industry
sources believe Hudson will be down
for at least four weeks, although II
has been able to dispose of lot oi
preliminary change-over work while
its 1947 models were in production
According to present planning
none of the big Three" Of the in
dustry will bring out new models un.
til after next January l: it may be
well into the spring months before
all of them have been introduced.
Ford, with plans for Completely
new" vehicle, may not get it into
production until some time durins
next years second quarter. Whether
1t will then be designated as a 1s4t
or 194o model has not been disclosed
Hudson is referring to its forthcom.
ing model only as a new Hudson
rather than as its 1913 model. :.
1S49 Models Already Started.
Even before the public has seer
the 1913 models the industrys en-.
gineers are working on l94e vehicles
Some industry znalysts believe nsn,
u these <ili appear next aeptembel
and Octo5s-. getting the industry
back on its pre-war new mode
schedule.
Still others assert most Of tn,
automobile makers would like t,
hold a national automobile si1oy
in January 194s, and may della,
models in order that initia
showings may be made at tha
time.
Certainly the manufacturer
will give serious consideration tc
tho effect Of two model change.
over 1hutdowns In one year
Two such suspensions to re-too
for new models would involve ar
overall loss Of at least 100000
units.
Offsetting this is the fact that
unless the industry gets a great
deal more sheet steel than cur.
rently is in sight it is certain tc
fall that many units below
capacity output next year re-
gardless Of new model change over
shutdowns.
The steel scarcity repeatedly Is
so acute that q dip Is in prospect
IN next weeks production and
instead Of the 100000 units the in.
dustry scheduled for September pro-
duction, the total more likely will be
about 400 OOO-