Evening star., 1953-02-23

Fire Dome, Imperial, go Special,
New Yorker, Chieftain, Fleet
wood, Aero Eagle, Diplomat.
Crestline, Manhattan, Cosmo-
politan. Capri, Bel Air. Monte
rey, Cranbrook and Super 88.
While the word "custom" has
been overdone in motordom, the
truth is that today you can have
your new car just about as you
like it. This begins with the
motor, there being six makes
which offer the buyer choice of
six or eight cylinder engines.
While the Weight now is avail
able on 10 American makes, Pack
ard, Pontiac and Buick Special
continue the eight-in-line motor,
Buick using it's new Weight
power plant for the Roadmaster
and the Super series. Thus we
have rival types of motors Of
fered by the same company.
Whatever it is you want, just
name it. Detroit will do the
rest.
Novelties.
Adding to this years trends
are more than the usual num-
ber of novelties. Mercury's doors,
for instance, have a two-position
opening. Thus if the doors must
be opened where traffic passes
they can be made to stay in the
half-open position.
Plymouth, Studebaker and
Packard have more positive types
of starters which eliminate those
annoying cranking lapSeS.
Lincoln has a power-operated
front seat which adjusts up. and
forward to match any drivers
special needs.
Ford models are equipped with
a skid plate to protect the front
end when the car is driven over
uneven terrain.
The special safety features Of
the Kaiser have been well pub
licized. The Henry j. also has
an instrument panel crash pad.
WHY'S for 1853 has a hard
top-the Aero Eagle-offered in
three different style series, and
at attractive prices.
Air-conditioning is now offered
as optional equipment on Pack
ard, Cadillac, Buick, Chrysler, De
Soto and Oldsmobile. Packard
started this some years ago, pre-
maturely.
The Frigidaire system used on
Bucks, Olds and Cadillacs isn't
as complicated as it might seem.
The compressor is attached to
the engine and is operated by it.
The evaporation and blower as
sembly is on a special shelf in
the luggage compartment. Inlet
and outlet ducts are also located
at the rear, air def1ectorS and dis
tributors being placed in the top
at the sides. The condenser is
just where you would expect it
up front between the grille and
the radiator core.
Individualism continues to be
quite evident. Nash, for in
stance, uses side-draft carbure-
ton 1t also continues to be the
only company in America using
partially closed front wheels.
Equally individual is Hudson
with it's continued step-down de-
sign. Hudson has also just in
troduced the long awaited jet job
a new contender in the lower
price field. HudSon's three en-
gines are now all skies.
WHY'S uses the F-style valve
arrangement for it's economical
motor. while Buick employs ver-
tical valves for its new Weight.
Horsepower.
Diplomacy cautions against
any high praise for the increases
in horsepower ratings of the
1858 engines. There is a run
ming battle between the major
engineering groups regarding this
phase of engine development. the
obvious fact being that any of
the engines are capable of higher
output with increases in COM
preston ratio.
However, such compression In
creases are not without need
for Stricter maintenance of car