Evening Star Newspaper, January 28, 1923, Page 58

3 wr N ewer Cam BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL.3 Automobiles are no longer play- things for the amateur mechanic. The modern driver doesn’t care less about his car, but he has found many new uses for it that tho avall- able time for rcpairs, adjustments and greasing is naturally curtailed. The vital units ofthp>modern car must be reached in the! rirffilpwm amount of time and with the least| effort—for effort means time. "It is the new cry in motordom, and the appearance of 1923 models proves be- vond a doubt that the manufacturers have had their ears to the ground.: Undoubtedly the budget system of car care |s greatly responsible for the newer mechanical features seen on the newer e For example, one motorist d d that it required exactly one-half hour to have Ris oil drained out and ' fresh lubricant poured n. To dom uld clothes and do the job himself required an additional half hour of his time, 50 he had made it a rule to accept the lesser of the two time-killers. But even this didn't satlsfy Lim. 1In his budget he found that ten minutes’ time was about all le could afford for sach a common- Dlace task. The result was he looked carefully at the new models along automobile rew and— MHow to Save Time. To make a long story short, he now drives a machine equipped with crankcase drain cock which can be operated from the side of the en- glne without getting under the car. And here is how he puts one over on 0ld Boy.Time: . On r‘he appointed day for changing the off he huyy two, one-gallon cans of the proper grade of ofl from his zarage man, and deposits them in the tonncau while the attendant is pump- ing in gas. No time is lost. He starts off with the car and aims for his destination just as though all the messy work of draining the crankcase had been done. When driving along the highway he notes a dirt cross- road which is seldom uscd. Into this he turns and, stops Raising the hood He turns the drain cock, the ail ruhs out on the road and 1s absorhed. Then he closes the drain cock and. redching fof the cans, pours in the required amount of fresh oil The whote job ‘takes about ten min- utes, and requires the very minimum of effort and incg@venience. On all the newer models motorists will sea evidencesipf ways and means of meeting thi¥ new. demand for la- bor-saving devices. Ome of the oldest inconteniences T “motoring is to be ! obliged to spend an hour by the road- side on a dark night trying to find a “ghor in the headlight circuit or struggling to remove & lamp rim in order. to install a new bulb. This sort of work is practically banished from 2 large number of new cars. Some of the models now have as many as three separate front light combina- | tions, so that if the headlights go bad, for instance, the topedo or dim- mers may be used. The motorist sim ply turns his switch to the combina- tion, and while he may not have quite #0 much illumination as he would pre- fer he is not troubled by the thought | of being fined for driving with only one “ey ; New Olling Devices. The elimination of grease cups is. of course, nearly complete, high pre sure lubrication-systems now being standard equipment on most <ars. There are still a.few places which are dificult to reach, but degrees these are being brought out into the open. On several cars the release yoke of the clutch is lubricated by a large oll cup Jocated on the engine alde of the dash. It is so near the ofl | can that the driver is reminded to keep it filled. + Boubtless when he fills it by this presto-change method his mind runs back to the days when Re used to spend Saturday afternoons & the syb-basement of, the ‘Times have changed, and the same ! can be sald of the cars. Consider the clutch spring adjustment. A motorist used to have to be towed home be- eause his clutch was silpping, and even if he wantet a slight adjustment one way or the other it meant a trip to the repair ghop. Now he can in- crease or decrease the spring tension while the filling station attendant is getting him a quart of oil The same simplicity is also noted in fan assemblies, brakes, foot pedals and carburetors. The change has come about not only because few mo- torists have time to fuss with thefr machines, but.because thousands of people who are fow driving are not mechanically ¢ inclined, and perhaps never will be. But even il the motor- ist must take his car to a mechanic he wants to feel that the job is only Boing to be a matter of giving some accessible adjustment nut a magic twist. Women Cause Changes. The woman drvier isnt supposed to know anything about the car beyond the Instrument board, yet automobile salesmen are ready to confess that much of the presto-change stuff is wrged by the fair sex. One woman ghlected to a certain car _because ull AUTO GLASS FOR WINDSHIFLDS OR RODIER. Installed While You Walt, Taranto & Wasman 1017 NPW YORK AVE ¥ W —a pilée to bnyA : FBuilt Wxth View to Accessi- bility of Afl Parts and Contain Devices for Sfiving Time in Repairs. the’poor location of the battery. Shy allowed herself so many minutes in which to pour in djistilled water. and could mot "overstep this limit without cutting down somewhere else on her daily scheme of things. The day when the family drops everything to wateh Uncle Henry fill the battery cells is definitely locked in the great past. There is no reason why a motorist should dismantle the car in order to find the battery any more than he should be obliged to run over to Neighbor Smith's for a,few llve coals to start a firc. ~ One woman miotorist bought a cer- taln model because the floor bokrds: of the tonneau could be raised just as easily as the boards in the front. This gave easy access to the rear universal joint, pinion gear, spring shackles and brake assembly, making it a simple matter to clean, grease and adjust these parts. She did not anticipate doing any of this work herself, but she knew that any me- chanic’ can I'work better when e doesn’t have to work at a disadvan- tage. She figured that it was worth money to her to have every job done in the least amount of time. Simpli- fying the routine jobs gives the me- chanical-minded motorist more time to study the high points. Adjusting Tappets. One of the most pronounced trends in simplicity of car care is seen in the line of valve tappets. There are Ssome motorists who are not annoyed by tapping valves or who do not| know that much of the' loss of power on hills, the skipping and “bucking.” is due to too tight an adjustment ot the valve tappefs. But the man who wants his car to run at its best all! the timé, for the sake of comfort and econgfmy, realizes that it pays to get out the tools and make few changes. Up untll very recently, how- ever. this has been a difficult job, even for & mechanic. It fs not unusual to spend an Bour trying to set a few valve tappets so that they neither tap nor hold the valve open after the stem has expanded, | Now. with the advent of overhead | valves operated by overhead cam-| shafts. the end of this sort of dim- culty is in sight. Even where the camshafy is stil in the conventional | location the work of adjusting tap-' pets Is remarkably simple on a num- ber of valve-in-head métors. All the | motorist does Is turn a screw in the | center of each rocker arm and lock the adjustment with a lock nut. The job is done while the motor runs, thus | combining the adjustment snd the testing {nto one operation. New Universal Fopular. Fabric universala are just ano evidence of the trend ioward plicity of maintenance. These do not need greasing, and while they event ually need replacing the expense and time involved is not as great as with | metal joints. The motorist, however. must be careful 1o see that the fabric | joints on the car he selects are equipped with a centering device. But | even where metal jolnts are retained | we find simplicity the rule. One of the pioneer manufacturers now ar- ranges the universal (there is only one in his car) so that it Is lubricated | by the grease from the transmission. | The increasing importance of motor- | ing in every dav life is rapidly chang- | ing the car owner's idea of what hel| most desires in a machine. Tf the! newer models are any criterion his idea. at present is to select the car that only requires a twist or a turn when things go wrong “and, presto, by the Uliman Feature Service. The Semmes Motor Company opened their 14th street showroom, at 14th and Monroe streets northwest, last night. A complete line of Dodge cars were on display. A large crowd at- tended the opening. REPORT AUTOISTS BACK NEW TAXPLAN | to substitute a gasoline tax Officials of A. A. A. See Own- | | toward ers Lining Up for D. C.- Maryland Reciprogity. Indications are that all classes of motor vehicle owners will be found supporting the bill providing for a gasoline tax in lieu of all other taxes on automobiles in the District of Columbia when that measure comes before Congress for action, according to reports received by officials of the | on. A. A This sup onferenc District of Columbia Div A.. during the past week. port s indicated by held shortly before tho of the bill at which OWners, Passenger car vper resentatives of taxcab companies, merchants and dealers united in indorsing the proposed measure, which has now been sent to Con- sreps. While the present bill, with a 2-cent tax on gasoline and the nominal fee of $1 for license tags. will ralse slightly more money than the old method of horsepower tax and per- sonal property taxes, which it re- | ed,” Places, the averuge motorist of the District. will eave practically half his present fees through obtaining re- ciprocity with Maryiand, it was pointed” out yesterday by A. A. A. ofMcals, and the owners of large trucks’ which go into Maryland will effect substantial savings through the elimination®of the Maryland taxes on_trucks. “If ‘Congress permits Washington in lieu of all other automobile taxes in the District of Columbia, it will con- stitute the greatest’ forward step the cquitable taxation. of automobiles that has been taken since the motor vehicle was invent- eaid M. O. Eldridge;” executive chairman of the American Automoblie Association, yesterday. “This meas- ure, which was first proposed by th 4 A. and gvas offered tc th ommissioners -only after a refer- endum vote showed a sentiment of seven to one among A. A. A. members | in the District in favor of a gasoline places the burden of taxation | {on the motorist exactly in proportion | tax, to his use of the road. Cites “Excellent Precedent.” “We had 1 excellent precedent for urging this measure in the action of the motorists of Great Britain,” de- clared Mr. Eldridge. her of years under a gasoline tax the English government changed to the American idea of taxing automobiles according to_horsepower, and this method was found so unsatisfactory in comparison to the gasoline X that Britain is again changing back | to_the old methad of taxation. “Figures compiled by the National Automobile Dealers’ Association show that the average gasoline consump- tion of each automobile is 450 gallons per year. Based on this figure the average District motorist will pay A great power plant is under the hood of the Good Maxwell —the result of long engineering develop- ment, precision manufacture, and rigid inspection. A motor of exceptional power and flexibility and notably quiet smoothness, particularly free from , wear where wear is ordinarily the most severe. “After a num- | iy /”/} PRI Gt 1y absorb 10 per cent more vehicles than were sold last when 2 produced. e and dealer in the- entire bistory the automobile business. carg will ‘pass their #ixth ydar twelve months, and under able since automotive industry. This,_estimated requirement will, course, be modified by existing | jdustrial and agricultural It is estimated that 7 &0 Into the export 000 cary w trade. approximately 2,525,000 cars. \ contage of trucks nceded for replag ment is not quite large as in t passenger car fleld. 000 commercial ced during the months if business jtinue on a fairlv even keel. mand for 135.000 trucks for owners is anticipated. Ahout trucks will bt suflicient for the e port trade. This brings the estimated requirements for. 1923 275,000 commercial making total of trucks, cars will coming twel ar or an increase of ahout Small Cars Predominate. Of the estimated output of 000 passeriger cars for 1923, may beé counted upon to turn out least 1.150.001 The General units shouid collectively build abol 460.000 passenger group of other leaders Durant, Dodge, Stude! Saxweil, Hudson-E: should collectivel. This would lea of approximate manufacturer about $10 a year taxes, which is very | conclusion, “that if the motorists of little, if any, llTrn money than he! Washington once fully understand Days the District under the present|the saving in time and money that arrangement. This tax will give him | will be effccted through not having the use of Maryland roads without|to pay a Maryland licens¢, and not additional charge. and will p nit | having te stand in lne for Maryland him the same privileges as the motor- | tags, in addition to the great con- ists of other states, making one tag | veuience of being able to auto- sufficient, and effecting, through the | mobile taxes a fow cents at a time, saving of the Maryland fees, an ap- | every owner in the District will proximate saving of about haif his|rush to the support of the proposed present automobile taxes if he drives | gasoline tax bill. and will usc his in Maryland. influence to obtain its speedy passage “We believe,” said Mr. Eldridge. in by Congress.” consisting turn 180,000 for all oth: of passenger cars $300 to $1,000 class, 19 per cent in t Other conditions remaining satis- factory, this promises to'be the most successful year for:both the maker Approximately 1,650,000 passenger seryice some time during the next normal economic conditions must be replaced. This represents the largest replace- ment market which has becn avail- the establishment of the About 800,000 cars will be required for what we may term “new owners.” conditions. Adding these together, we find ‘a demand for passenger In the commercial car fidld the per- Approximately ba re- conditions con- A de- new | 15,000 | total | .800.000 passenger cars and per cent over last vear's production. Motors A selected ker, Overland, | and . Nash | out 725.000. a total production pected that of the cars built | . 34 per cent will sell for less MAKES 300, 33 per cent will be in the | WITTSTATT'S R. and F. WORKS SEES 10 PER CENT GAIN'IN U. . AUTO MARKET DURING 1923 Trade-'vJourllx'al‘ Calls Attention to Rapid " “Elimination of Used Cars and De- mand for New Models. In 1923, according to the February issue of the Automobile Trade Jour- nal, the automotive market can safe- motor vear, 0.000 cars and trucks were $1,000 to $1.500, 7 per cent the $1.500 to 32,000 class, 2 per cent in the $2,000 to $2,500 class and 4 per cent in the class selling above $2.500. Of the estimated output of 275,000 commerclal cars for 1923, Ford w produce 125,000. General Motors Should turn out about 15.000. A group of leading truek companies, consist- ing: of Dodge, White, Reo, Interna- tional | Harvester, Republic, Mack, Packard and Autocar, should collec tively build about 75,000. This leaves a total production of oniy about 60,000 for all ‘other truck makers. . 40,000 Dealers is U. 5. There are now 40,989 automobile and motor - truck dealers in the United States. Of these, 2455 are in cities of _over 500.000 population, 3.451 are in_cities with -populations between 100.000 and 500,000, 5,192 are in cities with populations between 10,000 and 100,000, swhile or more than half the total, are in £mall towns hax - ing & population of less than 10,000 These figures do not include supply stores, garages, cte.. of which there aré over 40.006. making a total more than 80.000 sales and scrvi units devoted to the automobile Latest complete registration figur jalso serve to emphasize tne growinz importance of the small town mar for automotive products. An estimated Increase of 10 per cent in sales for 1923 over the best pre- vious vear in history should enabl: {both dealer and maker to becon more firmly established along souns sane. comservative lines. The ba position of the automotive indus is stronger at the present time than |that of any other great industrial enterprise in America —_— Stanley Horner, local Buick-deale and his used car manager, C. W | Allison. have left for a week visit 15 the auto xhow and used car conver tion_at_Chicago. ot of of n- i1l he ve X- to a 10 TRADE SCHOOL AUTO INDUSTRY LARGEST SCHOOL IN THE EAST Courses for Garage Owners, Salesmen Electricians, Mechanics, Vulcanizers, k:c Day’ and Evening Glasses. American Motor School 1612-1623 You Bt. Phone North 10407 Radiators and Fenders ANY KIND MADE OR REPAIRED, Cores_installed .in ‘make. 10 DIFFERENT L TORS. at ut of er in he! 319 15th. F. 6410. 1435 P. M. T443. VALVE-IN-HEAD e 'f‘i:mi i m | —~ Nation Wide Approval Everywhere this new 1923 Buick Four Cylinder Sedan with its lustrous finish, beautiful interior and modest price is the center of attraction. A lowered center of grévity has made it possible to set its beautiful, roomy Fisher body lower, and the high hood line and longer cowl give a stream- line of unusual grace and beauty. When you sit at the wheel you, too, cannot help approving the many innovations the fortunate owner never tires of telling about. BUICK MOTOR COMPANY, FLINT, MICHIGAN Division of General Motors Corpovation Ploneer Builders of Valve«in-Head Motor Cacs Bramches in All Principal Cities~Dealers Everywhere Sixes & 2 Pass. Roadster -$1175 4 Pgss. Coupe » =41205 S Pass. Touring ~ 1195 7 Pass. Touring < 1435 5 Pass. Touring 7 Pagp.Sedan » - 2195 Sedan : Sport Roadster - 1625 5 Pass. Sedan Sport Touring - - 1675 D-43-27-NP Prices £ o b. Detroit, revenue tax o be added: Touring Car, 9885; Roadster, $885; Club Coupe, 9985; Four-Passenger Coups, $1235; Sedan, $1335 H. B. LEARY, JR. 1321-23 14th Street Main 4105 Quality Tires, plus Service moderately priced. » 1935 - 1985 BUICK MOTOR COMPANY, WASHINGTON BRANCH . 14th and L Streets N.W. C. C. WATERS & SON Gaithersburg, Md. ROSSLYN MOTOR CO. Rosslyn, Va. SERVICE - TIRE CO. G. W. Rundlett, Prop. 1336 14th St. N.W. (3 @eors below R. L. Ave.) STANLEY H. HORNER 1015 14th St. N.W. Phone Maln 5398 OREM MOTOR CO. ‘Waldorf, Md. EMERSON & ORME 1620 M Street N.W. Phone Franklin 3860 FLETCHER MOTOR CO.. Alexandria, Ve automobiles are. bpilt, Buick will build them