Indholdsfortegnelse for July 1954 i MotorTrend

THERE’S BEEN a lot of talk lately about safety. From all sides you hear, “Highways should be improved—they’re what cause all the accidents.” “There’s only one reason for all the accidents—the nut behind the wheel.” “Cars aren’t safe enough.” Without a doubt, highways, drivers, and cars all share in the blame—not necessarily equally—for the appalling number of highway accidents. It follows then that each of these factors stands in need of some improvement. There is no reason why we cannot expect great strides in road development, concurrent with betterment of present-day roads. Yet this is necessarily a long-range program. There is also no reason why we cannot expect (or at least hope for) motorists to take stock of their driving, and as a result become more careful and more courteous.…

ABOUT THAT CONTEST Dear Sir: My husband, William J. Lasson, entered the car contest that you had in three issues of MOTOR TREND. What I want to know is, who did win the bond and the subscriptions, if he didn’t? I feel and so does he now that your contest was a fraud, just to get car-minded people to buy MOTOR TREND. Mrs. W. J. LassonWeirton, W. Va. The number of entries in MT’s “Do You Know Your Cars?” contest so far exceeded our wildest expectations that only now, as we go to press with this issue, are we approaching the end of the tallying. The August issue will carry the names of all winners, plus a list of the correct answers.—Editor. ANYONE HUNGRY? Dear Sir: I am very much…

(In acceleration and fuel economy, the car is rated against the average of ’53 test cars in its own class. All other items are rated against the average of all ’53 test cars.) REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER (Determined on Clayton chassis dynamometer; all tests are made under full load, which is similar to climbing a hill at full throttle. Observed hp figures not corrected to standard atmospheric conditions) 34 road hp @ 1200 rpm and 24 mph 56 road hp @ 2000 rpm and 40 mph 65 road hp @ 2500 rpm and 50 mph 78 road hp (max) @ 3350 rpm and 70 mph ACCELERATION (In seconds; checked with fifth wheel and electric speedometer) Standing start ¼-mile (67.5 mph. 20.0, 0-30 5.3, 0-60 16.4, 10-30 7.0, 30-50 12.1, 50-80 21.9…

CARL DOMAN is more than a name to the 10 million people who own a Ford car or truck. Since February, 1950, he has been National Service Manager for that company, and as such presides over an empire larger than 10 Willow Runs. That is the floor space devoted to service by Ford dealers throughout the country. Carl’s background for this big job is some 40 years of experience in the automobile industry. So much of this time was spent in engineering the famous aircooled Franklin that his story is really a story of the heyday of that car and its traceable descendants. When Doman first went to work for the H. H. Franklin Mfg. Co. in Syracuse, N.Y. in the summer of 1921, that old-line firm had a reputation…

Please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you want to receive a personal answer. There is no charge for this service. However, due to the bulk of letters received, it is impossible to give a quick reply. Only selected questions will be printed. QUESTION—How can I increase the power and economy of my car at small expense? ANSWER—Generally speaking, power and economy do not go hand in hand, nor is an appreciable increase of either a matter of small expense. (By appreciable increase, I mean one that will have you saying, “This is what I wanted—the car really goes now!”) Unfortunately, when you’ve made a relatively low-cost single modification to your engine, you often have to talk yourself into believing that you’ve gained noticeable power; don’t be discouraged if you…

A dealer and distributor network is now being formed to handle demand generated by advertising and editorial features in national magazines. If you can qualify, you can be first with the most exciting automotive product of this decade, to win new customers and build a substantial business These valued franchises are not being sold; they are awarded on the basis of ability to grow with us. For complete details, write or wire. Continental Manufacturing Corporation, Dept. FM-7, Washington Blvd. & Motor Avenue, Culver City, Calif.…

In the greatest road test of performance and mileage characteristics of American stock cars, 20 automobiles vied for Sweepstakes and price class honors in the 1954 Mobilgas Economy Run. These cars were fueled with completely New Mobilgas Special and lubricated with new Mobiloil Special. Under supervision of the American Automobile Association, the 20 cars started the 1335-mile, maximum legal speed course from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park, and on to San Francisco. The second day, over the snow-packed Sierras, at 7135-foot Donner Summit, across Nevada to Elko. Wednesday, the last leg into Sun Valley. Temperature ranged from desert heat to near freezing; cars went from sea level to 7135 feet, with varying humidity conditions that tested both engine and new gasoline performance. A. A. A. SANCTIONED — Stock cars…

REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER (Determined on Clayton chassis dynamometer; all tests are made under full load, which is similar to climbing a hill at full throttle. Observed hp figures not corrected to standard atmospheric conditions) 48 road hp @ 1200 rpm and 32 mph 83 road hp @ 2000 rpm and 54 mph 97 road hp @ 2500 rpm and 68 mph 122 road hp (max) at 2850 rpm and 77 mph SPEEDOMETER ERROR Car speedometer read 30 @ true 30 mph, 45 @ true 45 mph, 60 @ true 60 mph (In acceleration and fuel economy, the car is rated against the average of ’53 cars in its own class. All other items are rated against the average of all ’53 cars) ACCELERATION (In seconds; checked with fifth wheel and…

THE RED FLAG was out at the pits for the scarlet Lancia, No. 38. “Stop in the pits,” the loudspeaker warned. But the “run-away” Italian sports racer, stretching a 60-mile lead over the surviving 26 sports cars in the final stage of the Florida International 12-Hour Grand Prix of Endurance, vanished again into the dark first turn. The Lancia was lapping swiftly on the night-blackened 5.2mile road-and-runway course at 82 mph—more than seven mph faster than last year’s record-breaking Cunningham—and with only one headlight. As the 260-hp, V6 speedster streaked out of sight, chief race steward Alec Ul-mann boomed out over the PA that the Lancia would be black-flagged out of the race if it crossed the finish line again. Again the single-beamed two-seater roared out of the last turn…

Life-Time batteries are now rolling out of four plants, with two more scheduled to start producing this year. If you have a retail store, such as a gas station or garage, and would like to fill the orders that come in from 4-page ads like this, plus network radio and TV broadcasts, fill out the Dealer Information Request at the bottom of this column and mail it to us. If you have facilities for warehousing and delivering batteries and other automotive products to our growing dealer organization, write us for information about distributor franchises. These distributor franchises are not sold to anyone; the only capital required is for merchandise inventory. Write: Continental Manufacturing Corp., Dept. MT-7Washington Blvd, at Motor AvenueCulver City, California…

IF SOMEONE told you that the spark plugs in his car were made with gold, platinum, and diamonds, you’d probably take the statement with a grain of ordinary, inexpensive salt. As a clincher, he might add that the insulating material around the plug was not porcelain, but Sintox. It was this “clincher” that aroused our curiosity as we read the details of a new brand of spark plugs on the American market—Lodge Spark Plugs, imported from England. Reading further, we found that the gold is used as solder, that the platinum is used as electrode material and that the diamonds are used for grinding during the manufacturing process. That took care of most of our questions (with the exception of “Who gets the mineral rights when you buy a set…

IN ONE mile of slow driving, the fuel pump in your car pulses more than 1700 times. At 60 mph its diaphragm may flex that much in one minute. It’s no wonder that this hard-working unit may collapse; and if yours should give in to wear, don’t hesitate—fix it! You’ll need a pair of wrenches and one small and one large screwdriver to remove and dismantle the unit. Parts are inexpensive, and normally the pump needs only a thorough cleanup. Follow the photos and hints on these pages for a simple, successful fuel pump repair job. Most fuel pumps have metal or glass strainer bowl held by wire spring across top; turn top nut to release wire bar. Strainer must be cleaned…

Published by Trend Books, Inc., 5959 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 28, Calif. Available on newsstands $.75, or direct from publisher, ppd. $.85. COMPILED BY well-known automotive writer Hank Wieand Bowman, this latest paper-bound book by Trend Books, Inc., contains a wealth of reference information about every known production car (and some not-so-well-known) being built in the world today. In all, it crams history, description, performance of 124 different makes from 15 countries into 144 pages. Here are a few random excerpts: “In Paris, headlights are prohibited. Parking lights are used after dark. Horns are prohibited at night with a permissible flashing of headlights…” “Despite automotive prominence themselves, the Italians suffer from a lack of adequate transportation. Only one person in 60 is able to own a vehicle.” If you’re interested…

This department is not composed of paid advertising. All items are guaranteed by the manufacturer for immediate refund if you are not satisfied. Claims made herein are those of the manufacturer, and do not constitute an endorsement by Motor Trend. When ordering, include sales tax if required by your state. THE NEW Almquist dual exhaust kit provides any four-, six-, or eight-cylinder car with “dual muffler efficiency” at a new low cost. Increases horsepower, gas mileage, and engine life. Includes split manifold connector, dual side exhaust pipe, extra tailpipe and brackets for $14.95. Send 25 cents for speed and custom equipment catalog. Almquist Engineering, Milford, Pa. HERE’S SOMETHING to put in your glove compartment for a rainy day. It’s Rainfair’s “Nylonair,” a 100 per cent Nylon raincoat that’s rubber-coated on…

High operating temperatures in modern engines, and the corrosive effects of leaded fuels, are tough on spark plugs,—and a plug that misses or fires unevenly robs horsepower and cuts gas mileage. Get all the power and mileage your engine is capable of with LODGE Golden Anniversary Spark Plugs. Why Lodge Plugs are Better LODGE Plugs are especially engineered for high-compression engines and premium fuels. The LODGE Patented Sintox insulator, precision-ground from solid Sintox billets, has double the physical and dielectric strength and 20 times the thermal value of ordinary porcelain insulators. It is highly resistant to fouling, and detonation… will not fracture or short out under extreme temperature and pressures; consistently out-performs and out-lasts any other spark plug made. World Record Reliability World leader in spark plug quality since 1904,…

Welcome to Mail-Mart! Here you’ll find an outstanding selection of speed, power, and custom equipment—the newest, most interesting automotive specialties (plus some of the old favorites) from the stockrooms of the World’s Largest Distributor of high performance auto parts. Naturally, only a few items can be shown here each month, so whatever other special equipment you may need—any item—for any car—if you don’t see it here, simply send a description to the address below. Enclose 20% deposit. Your order will be shipped C.O.D. immediately. The best asset any business can have is a satisfied customer. Therefore, the products shown in Mail-Mart have been especially selected as fine examples of all the thousands of items carried in our three modern warehouses. Every item has been tested and approved as an outstanding…

REAR WHEEL HORSEPOWER (Determined on Clayton chassis dynamometer; all tests are made under full load, which is similar to climbing a hill at full throttle. Observed hp figures not corrected to standard atmospheric conditions) 10 road hp @ 1200 rpm and 17.5 mph 18.5 road hp @ 2000 rpm and 29 mph 23 road hp @ 2500 rpm and 37 mph 28 road hp @ 3750 rpm and 57 mph SPEEDOMETER ERROR Car speedometer read 33 @ at true 30 mph, 51 @ true 45 mph, 69 @ true 60 mph (In acceleration and fuel economy, the car is rated against the average of ’53 cars in its own class. All other items are rated against the average of all ’53 cars) ACCELERATION (In seconds; checked with fifth wheel and…

IT’S BEEN SAID that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks. True. And neither should they make faces at people on the outside, causing rocks to be thrown through the glass walls. On the other hand, it’s possible to replace glass, although it can sometimes be both uncomfortable and expensive. In preparing a magazine, the editors of MOTOR TREND are living in a glass housè. Whatever we say is seen (and meant to be seen) by people on the outside—you. Therefore, bricks are thrown through the walls in some cases, while in others, bouquets are left at the front door. Not too long ago we dropped the Estimated Cost Per Mile from our road test reports. It wasn’t because of any criticism we’d received on it, for we…

TO MOST OF US, Rolls-Royce means ultra-conservative luxury. For Max Obie, R-R means Radical Reprieve from a reputation for dignity. Obie, a 36-year-old classic car enthusiast of New York, heard about a “car of the future” in the vicinity; the bloodhound nature of the enthusiast led him to a long, slant-backed machine, badly tarnished and sagging at its circular doors. What intrigued Obie was not so much the startling appearance, but the fact that the jumping-off place for this advanced design was a Rolls-Royce. Restoration meant long nights and weekends of sanding, leading, and handrubbing the body before applying a 15-coat white lacquer paint job. Except for a change in color, the red-and-white leather upholstery follows the original style. The floor is covered with a super-plush, longhaired, white wool rug;…

We’re giving you a complete progress report on DETROIT’S HOTTEST TOPIC What is it? It’s gas turbines; they’re coming, but when? The fuel for your car is receiving considerable attention these days, as witness the current promotional and advertising campaigns of the various gasoline companies. We’ll keep you informed with WHAT ABOUT THESE NEW GASOLINES? In addition: three complete road test reports and other informative and entertaining articles. Keep abreast of the automotive world. In the August issue of Motor TrendOn Your NewsstandsJuly 21, 1954…

Requirements are: copy limit of 25 words (not including name and address), first come, first served; we reserve the right to edit where necessary; we are not responsible for accuracy of descriptions, although we will reject any misleading statements. This service is not open to commercial advertisers. No ads will be accepted if payment is not made in advance and such communications will not be acknowledged. Only one CAR may be listed in any single Sell ‘N’ Swap insertion. This limitation will not apply to parts, catalogs, etc. The charge is four dollars per insertion. Recently we introduced, a new service in this department: With your ad, we’ll publish selected photographs of cars you want to sell or swap. There’s no cost to you for the cuts, but we’ll have…