Indholdsfortegnelse for September 1954 i MotorTrend

THERE’S A NEW KIND of glamour girl on the Hollywood scene. She’s a hometown, homespun professional girl from Detroit who virtually overnight has become a nationally known personality, all because of the TV screen. But Lucille Pieti, simply pretty, 27-year-old blonde, has another distinction besides, one she’s basically a little more proud of than her airborne fame. Lucille, a 1950 grad of Wayne University, Detroit, is one of few lady automotive engineers in the country. Her employers, the Chrysler Corp., figure that Mrs. America has as much to say as anyone about buying the new family car. Hence, Lucille Pieti, B.S.M.E., gives out with the qualified woman’s viewpoint on the product. Her function is to explain in simple terms, from a woman’s standpoint, the attributes of her employer’s automobiles, and…

AN MT RESEARCH ROAD TEST REPORT SOME CARS are an old story to us before we drive them. They feel the way we expect them to, we can predict their acceleration figures to within a second or so, and we must admit they occasionally make us wish that we could go to sleep for 10 years and resume our road testing with the ’64 models. But ever since the day when Henry J. Kaiser jumped plumb into the automobile business with both feet, his products have been full of surprises. His merger with Willys slowed down both cars’ ’54 model announcements, but lots of people knew that the new Kaiser Manhattan, when it finally showed up, would have a supercharger—the first, incidentally, on a U.S. stock car since the Cord-like…

AN MT RESEARCH ROAD TEST REPORT NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT that it’s hard to prove seers and prophets wrong (by virtue or the fact that people in time tend to forget what was predicted), we’d like to go on record as saying that the station wagon is going to find a big niche in overall car production. We believe it will exceed the popularity of the “hardtop” coupes. And hardtops now outsell wagons almost three to one. Months before we began our station wagon trek, we analyzed this comparatively new market. “What,” we asked, “makes a person want a station wagon? Is it only for hunters, fishermen, pseudo-ranchers, and carpenters? Or is there a wider-spread At end of trek, drivers recount experiences. L to r., Bill Carroll, Roger Mahey (GP rep.),…

THE NASH RAMBLER CROSS COUNTRY (as with the four-door Rambler sedan) is hard to classify—it almost has to be put into a class of its own. How do you rate a station wagon that’s definitely not intended to compete across the board with larger and/or more utilitarian wagons? When all Nashes are taking 1.6 per cent of the market, its wagons are knocking down 2.1 per cent of the total station wagon market. That’s not bad for a car that’s less than a year old. With its looks, driving ease, comfort, and economy it may do even better. IN TRAFFIC: The Rambler’s compact size makes it easy to whip around in traffic (despite its relatively large turning radius because of the enclosed front wheels). It shifts easily, steers easily, and…

THE WILLYS FOUR - WHEEL DRIVE station wagon is, without a doubt, our most purposeful vehicle. It won’t bring to life any visions of grandiose living, but (and this became our ready answer to any comments on its lack of smooth ride and quietness) why should it? The Willys is designed to go where timid angels and other station wagons fear to tread; it’ll get you and your cargo there with a minimum of everything but eagerness (it has more than a maximum of that quality), and give you plenty to talk about when you get there. IN TRAFFIC: The shortest wagon tested, the Willys is a delight in traffic because of its compactness, its quick-turning steering wheel, and unparalleled forward vision. You sit high in the Willys, surveying traffic…

QUESTION—I have a 1933 Pierce Arrow Eight four-door sedan, which is undergoing a full restoration. You stated in your article on car restoration in MOTOR TREND that it would be advisable for a car owner to overhaul his own engine so that he may know his car completely. I have tried to get a service manual at gas stations and the library without success. I would greatly appreciate it if you would tell me where I could get a service manual on this car so that I could have photo-stats made of it. Duane M. ThompsonPontiac, Mich. QUESTION—I have a 1930 LaSalle convertible coupe. Where can I get a manual or general information, especially engine specifications? William L. KlenckAlbuquerque, N.M. ANSWER—These two letters are typical of hundreds received each month…

NEW CLASS NEEDED. Very much out in the cold, as usual, were the interesting 1500 to 3000 cc cars at the Torrey Pines (Calif.) races July 3 and 4. A setup that required them to top their class in the qualifying heats in order even to get near the main event was responsible, but let’s hope it will point up the fact that this is a basically unfair setup for the enthusiastic semi-amateurs who own TR-2s, Austin-Healeys, etc. Torrey was also the scene of a major upset when Bill Pickford, in his Jag Special (very special, that is) bided his time and eventually picked off favorites Bamford (Allard), Daigh (Kurtis-Lincoln), Stroppe (Kurtis-Mercury), and Miles (Troutman-Barnes Special). He appeared to be aided by a malevolent fate that blew the head gasket…

AT THE EDITORIAL OFFICES OF MOTOR TREND we receive many manuscripts, a good number of them devoted to technical subjects. Even though we may enthusiastically support the views of the author we still turn over the article to technical consultants professionally associated with the subject(s) discussed in the article for their comments. Here is such an article. Roger Huntington has taken an optimistic stand on fuel injection for passenger cars in the not-too-distant future. This article does not purport to discuss the entire subject of fuel injection; it is concerned only with intermittent-type fuel injectors for passenger cars. It should therefore not be taken as an argument one way or another for fuel injection on sports and/or competition cars. As with all new engineering developments there are many pros and…

AN MT RESEARCH ROAD TEST REPORT MAYBE you didn’t recognize that Willys as a ’54 model, for only a few minor alterations identify it as a new one. But if it took off from a traffic light as if a swift boot had been applied to its fendertip tail lights, that was a ’54. And it was probably a ’54 that seemed to leap around that slow-moving truck when some cars in the line-up found it hard to pick up speed in a hurry from 40 to 50 mph. The “swift boot” given that new Willys at the light is a power boost from 90 bhp to 115 horsepower—the result of a switch to a new (for Willys) L-head engine. This power increase is the biggest news from Toledo, and…

CHEVROLET TWO-TEN HANDYMAN actually fits several or our categories, with the consensus being that it’s a comfortable passenger car suitable for six people, plus their luggage. Apparently, approximately five per cent of Chevrolet buyers agree with us—that’s how many wagons (of their total production) are being built. Legroom is plentiful in the Handyman for the six passengers (eight in the more expensive Bel Air Townsman), and there is loads of usable hauling space (first among those tested in length, second in width and height). This mid-range (in the Chevy line) four-door wagon has an interior that is finely finished in every detail: plastic two-tone upholstery, nicely chromed hardware, easily operable release handles for the tailgate, push-button releases in the tailgate support arms (push in and tailgate can then be closed…

THE PLYMOUTH BELVEDERE SUBURBAN, distinguished at first glance by an interior rivalling a lavishly decorated cabana, retained its reputation for luxury by giving us testers the most comfortable ride of any of the test wagons. It was so soft that even Photographer Bob D’Olivo, from his unsprung perch near the tailgate of whatever car happened to be leading our parade of wagons, commented at some length on how comfortable he was in it. If you plan on carrying your children behind the back seat, take heed! Five years ago, the Suburban was a novelty. A new approach to the mid-century quest for a universal car, it was the first of the all-metal, fold-away-seat wagons, and it won instant popularity. Among other reasons was its compactness. With the across-the-board model change…

THE BEST PART of automotive progress is that we can all have a hand in it. Maybe it’s only through the fact that you’ve worked your way up to your present-day new car through a series of Model A’s and old Plymouths; or maybe it’s as basic as squeezing a few more miles per gallon out of your car by some tune-up trick. This, to some of us, is progress. Others, like Jim Broadwell, James “Ed” Hare, and Jerry Brownstein, whose cars are shown here, can measure progress by how well they’ve fulfilled their desires. Progress doesn’t have to mean something radically new; it’s the manner in which it’s applied that interests MT’s readers. Look over these applications, and decide for yourself whether or not they fill a need for…

THERE ARE FEW cars that we’ve tested that have created as much interest or drawn so much attention as the new Doretti. Every place I parked the car a crowd would gather ‘round, poring over it. At stop signals, driver or passenger would lean out of the window of the large car alongside, asking the same question, “What is it?” The answer, “Doretti” would lead to another, “Italian?” “No, English,” would be the reply, and if time permitted, a further explanation to clarify the inevitable confusion. “It’s the same as the Triumph TR-2, except that it has a different body.” If there was more time, and I saw that they were interested, I’d explain that the Doretti had all the attributes of the TR-2, and had eliminated the disadvantages, introducing…

…Alfa Giulietta THIS SMALL, beautiful, and high-spirited Alfa Romeo appears first as a coupe. Two famous coachbuilders, Bertone and Ghia, work together on the body. Bertone does the metal work, Ghia the paint and trim. The one I tried on a run over the twisting roads in the hills above Turin was immaculately finished. Inside the tiny body there is ample elbowroom and enough headroom if you don’t wear a hat. Legroom is exceptional. The wheel is far enough away to permit quick work on corners but not as far as on a Ferrari. Instruments include, among others, a rev counter and an oil temperature gauge. Pedals are placed for simultaneous use of brake and accelerator. The column shift works well. First big surprise as I headed down the Po…

IF YOU SHOULD be driving by the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Gound in Maryland and see a soldier (with a steering wheel in his hand) trotting along behind what looks like a four-wheeled front porch, you have encountered Uncle’s replacement for the mule. Made by the Willys Jeep people, this “vehicle” has a few lessons for those who stick to the V8 carriage trade. First of all, a gal who has occasion to walk home can do so without completely abandoning or losing control of her over-amorous transport. Like all mules, this Toledo mechanized version can carry more than its own weight. It can also chug along as happily as its four-legged forebear at one mph. Cornering is abetted by four-wheel steering, which allows it to change its mind and direction…

YOU’RE WATCHING with me from the ninth floor of an office building in downtown Amarillo. But it could just as easily be Akron or Washington or Los Angeles. Below us spreads a parking lot, jammed to capacity, car crowding car. Toy-sized cars—yours and mine—are being jockeyed into stalls, squeezed through clogged aisles, drag-raced to a start. It’s a sight familiar all over America. But from up here you get a new perspective. Yet you hear the same old sounds. They come reeling up from that automotive bedlam, amplified by surrounding buildings. You shudder at what you hear: the high-pitched torment of mistreated engines, revved to the piston-popping point; the off-key orchestration of jammed-in, kicked-out, manhandled gears; the screams of tires braked too hard; the metallic “clack … clack” of doors…

THE FORD RANCH WAGON takes a lot of the good features of the other wagons and combines them; it’s fairly comfortable for carrying passengers, has plenty of cargo space (third in height, width, and length) and handles both remarkably easily and well. How pleasingly this combination works is evident on the sales chart—for the first four months of ’54, Ford has accounted for almost 45 per cent of the station wagon market. IN TRAFFIC: The bulk and size or the Mainline Ranch Wagon (the lowest-priced of the four wagons in the Ford line) is adequate to give you a reeling of security through traffic, without sacrificing ease of getting around. Steering is exceptionally easy and accurate. One objection: the high position of the steering wheel in relation to driver and…

AS IF TO POINT UP our contention that the station wagon is becoming more and more a part of the American way of life, Studebaker says: “The increased interest in station wagon transportation, plus the great suburban movement in this country, were the principal factors that led to our decision to introduce our Conestoga Station Wagon. For example, in the 10 years from 1940 to 1950 the city of South Bend (Ind.) improved only slightly in population in contrast to a tremendous growth in the country surrounding the city. This same situation seems to be holding true all over the country.” It seems as though Studebaker was right in their assumption, for based on the first quarter (of ’54) production, they claim 5.4 per cent of the station wagon market…

STUDEBAKER V8 stock, race, or truck engines are said to get 23 to 32 more horsepower with Morgan “TQ” (Turbulence Quench) pistons. Available in stock bore size or 3/16-in. oversize, the “TQ” pistons are perfectly matched to original piston weight, give compression ratios of up to 9 to 1 with “ping-free” performance. Write: The Frank Morgan Co., Marysville, Calif. IDEAL for hauling sports cars to races, or roadsters to drags, Manting’s Sportrailer features easy loading and unloading, self-leveling device, single or tandem axles. Channel tracks are dimensioned to your needs; hinged tongue, parking jack, and coupler are standard, as are fenders, other fittings. For full details contact Manting Tool and Die Co., Big Rapids 4, Mich. INSTALLATION of a Power-Flo head gasket is the equivalent of milling the cylinder head…

A SPOT survey or neighborhood auto upholstery shops revealed that some 20 per cent of the people buying new seat covers install them themselves. The trend seems to follow an increased cost of seat cover material and installation, for two years ago the figure was about 12 per cent. You can save from three to seven dollars by doing the job yourself, and here, with the cooperation of a Howard Zink Corp. (Fremont, Ohio) demonstrator, you can see how the “pros” do it, and turn out an equally neat, long-lasting installation in your own backyard.…