March, 2011

Featured Article

"A Chronicle of the American Automobile Industry in America 1893-1949"

By: Tom Kiker

A few years' ago I was given a pamphlet published by the Eaton Company in 1950, called "A Chronicle of the American Automobile Industry in America 1893-1949".   It was originally published in 1936 and this information in this article is from that 1950 edition.  The dates that these inventions were implemented in the auto industry may surprise you.  I think a lot of people are unaware and believe these were inventions from "modern" era.

1902:
Two thousand Oldsmobiles were built this year.  The Motor Mart was established in New York City to buy and sell used cars.  The Locomobile became the first American gasoline car with four cylinder, water-cooled front mounted engine.  Packard was granted a patent on the gearshift "H" slot, which became standard later.

1903:
Ford was organized by Henry Ford.  General adoptions this year were: T-head cylinders, sliding transmissions, mechanically-operated intake valves and shock absorbers.

1905:
A car was reported stolen in St. Louis, Mo.

1906:
Buick included a storage battery as standard equipment.  Ford introduced a six-cylinder model.  Front bumpers appeared on some cars, but not as standard equipment.

1907:
Oldsmobile employed nickel plating for trim parts that hither to had been brass.  Ford made over a million dollars in profits.

1908:
First Model T Ford produced.  C. Harold Wills developed use of vanadium steel for Ford.

1909:
Fabric or cape tops called "one-man tops" appeared on the market.

1910:
American LaFrance Fire Engine Company, having made fire engines for 75 years, produced its first motor driven fire-fighting vehicle.  Buick makes its first six cylinder.

1911:
Chevrolet begins production.  Cadillac uses an electric starter.   Hudson offered a "simplified chassis" and multiple disc clutch.  Mack trucks formed.  Studebaker formed.  First use of a rear view mirror at Indianapolis.

1912:
Cadillac adopted electric starting with generator-battery lighting and ignition system.  The all-steel body was offered by Oakland and Hupmobile.  Traffic lines were painted on the streets of Redlands, Calif.

1913:
Installment paper was used for the first time in automobile financing.   The Bendix drive for electric starters was shown for the first time.  The first Chevrolet assembly plant was opened.  Ford production attained a rate of 1,000 cars a day.

1914:
Cadillac built the first American eight-cylinder, V-type, high-speed automobile engine.  Spiral bevel gear was developed by Packard engineers.  Pierce-Arrow incorporated head-lights in fenders.  A Detroit ordinance prohibited gas pumps at curbs.

1915:
Packard adds a 12-cyliner engine, America's first.  Cadillac offered tilt beam headlights.  Oldsmobile offered a top and a windshield as standard equipment.  Prism lenses for headlights made their first appearance.

1916:
The National Automobile Chamber of Commerce branded advertising of deferred payments as "unethical."  Hand operated windshield wipers, stop lights and rear-view mirrors appeared as standard equipment on a few cars.

1917:
Chevrolet offered an eight cylinder model.  Oshkosh four-wheel drive truck was introduced.

1918:
Passenger car production was curtailed to free facilities for war production.   Sunday driving was discontinued to conserve gasoline.

1919:
The flat rate system of repair was tried out.  Indirect lighting of instruments on dash appeared on some cars.

1920:
Alemite chassis lubrication was introduced.  Dusenberg appeared, first U.S. car with straight-eight engine and four-wheel brakes.  Packard introduced the Lanchester vibration dampener.

1921:
Studebaker developed nickel-molybdenum steel for commercial use.  Mack originated rubber engine mountings and rubber spring shackles.  Nickel plating appeared on radiators and lamps.  Cadillac offered thermostatic control of carburetion.  A few more cars offered hydraulic brakes.

1922:
Balloon tires and air cleaners were introduced.  The Rickenbacker was introduced with four-wheel brakes.  Several cars introduced gasoline gauges on instrument panel.

1923:
Dodge offered all-steel enclosed bodies.  Four-wheel brakes and power-operated windshield wipers were adopted by several manufacturers as standard equipment.   Ford production exceeded two million.  Standard Oil announced ethyl gasoline.

1924:
Chrysler light six, introduced by Maxwell-Chalmers Corp., featured high-compression engine, seven-bearing crankshaft, four-wheel hydraulic brakes, replacement cartridge oil filter.  Major Award Trophy was presented to White Trucks by the U.S.S.R. for reliability and endurance.  Ethyl gasoline was put on the market.   Balloon tires appeared as standard equipment.  The U.S. now had one automobile for every seven persons.  Two-filament bulbs, permitting use of direct and diverted light, appeared in headlights of some cars.  (To be continued) by Tom.

END.

Submitted by, Tom Kiker