Indholdsfortegnelse for August 1959 i MotorTrend

PROJECTING OURSELVES AHEAD — any where from five to 15 years—and trying to conjecture what it will be like to drive gas turbine cars is no easy matter. The cars themselves might take any shape (such as General Motors’ Firebird III, below), while the operational controls might be as complex as the panel on a jet airplane or (more likely) as simple or even simpler than the controls in Chrysler’s gas turbine Plymouth (shown below). What can be done, though, is to report on rides and drives in present-day gas turbines. Then, knowing what can be expected from newer turbines, visualize what it will be like. Take as an example my ride in a gas turbine Ford Thunderbird of ‘55 vintage. The car has a very early model turbine (not…

AS EARLY AS 1955 the Chrysler Corp, felt there was a need for a military vehicle that would have a third dimension in mobility—flight. They began experimenting with ducted fans as a means of providing both lift and propulsion for a low-speed, low-altitude flying vehicle. Then on July 15, 1957 the Transportation Research and Engineering Command of the U.S. Army granted a research contract to the corporation and serious studies of the possibilities got underway. The first of this year Chrysler announced that it had a working model of a flying jeep that was roughly 23 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a 250-hp engine that operated two 8.5-foot fans, propelling the vehicle along at about 25 mph. Its purpose was to fly slowly near the ground, among trees…

THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD is littered with the carcasses of semi-customs intended for production by small independent firms. Most of these cars represented substantial outlays of cash, time and effort and many showed real promise. Unfortunately, most are abandoned quietly after the initial splash of publicity and enthusiasm. Happily, there is every reason to believe that at least one such auto manufacturing project—the Devin SS—will be carried through to completion as planned. Both the manufacturing plans and the car are exciting. Bill Devin, a pioneer in the building of fiberglass bodies and a man with the experience and facilities to back up his proposals, is going to build an initial run of 150 completed cars. With the chassis currently being built at the rate of three per week in his factory…

Does YOUR car give you the pep and power it had when new? — if not you need a Magna-Power I With a Magna- Power you can save 80% of your engine repair bills and have a “new” car longer. — it takes only one minute to install — at a cost of less than .005¢ per mile (five/thousandths of a cent!). — a $4.95 investment in a Magna-Power will return itself IN FULL every time you change your oil — and keep on doing so for years, saving you hundreds of dollars in formerly unnecessary oil changes, engine repairs, etc. As one Magna-Power fan wrote: “There is no excuse whatever for a man to change oil every 2000 miles if he knows there is such a thing as a…

IT ALL DEPENDS on what you’re looking for in an automobile. Many people—including this writer—prefer a machine that doesn’t need power anything … a sanely-designed well-engineered car which, because it’s well executed, doesn’t require assists to compensate for either bad design or just too much good design. All other things equal, a lighter car will turn, handle and hold the road better than a heavier car, and these things are more important than brute power. They are the things that determine point-to-point times, except on a dragstrip. The Borgward Isabella is built to these specs, with as many comfort items as most luxury sedans. Though compact in design, the interior is spacious, compared even to big sedans. Front headroom is 38 in., enough to ride comfortably with a hat. Springing…

NEARING COUNTDOWN TIME … Ready … Ten … nine … eight … seven …” Looks almost as if it could be a futuristic space vehicle, doesn’t it? (below). Actually, it is futuristic—a “levacar” designed by Dr. Andrew Kucher, VP of Ford Engineering and Research “for ground travel in the 200-500 mph range.” Kucher foresees the day when the wheel will have reached its top speed capabilities. Looking forward to this day, he came up with the idea of a wheel-less car that rides on a thin film of air a fraction of an inch off the road. (Two of these shinysurfaced levapads can be seen under the car, while the detail photo and drawing explain the principle.) The “road” surface will have to be much smoother than present surfaces and…

TESTING CARS on the manufacturer’s proving grounds is fun and it is informative, lost of the time the setup is ideal, with good driving conditions and a staff of factory engineers on hand to make .adjustments and dispense information. Studebaker-Packard’s South Bend, Ind. course is located in one of the few hilly sections of that part of the state, and while it is more than adequate, the atmosphere is more of a “you’re on your own” than any other way we could describe it. Our first drive of the Studebaker Lark was the routine one where we had a chance to tour the course to our heart’s content and congratulate Harold Churchill on what we believed to be a good and needed addition to the American automobile market. Later that…

THE FIRST STEP toward The Modern Look, by Volvo, was the introduction to this country of the first good-looking—in a modern sense—sedan to be shipped to these shores by the high-efficiency “Aktiebolaget Volvo,” Gothenburg, Sweden. It’s a matter of record that this automobile plant can truthfully claim superb Swedish engineering. Until now, though, few cars lacked as much in overall attractiveness as did the first PV-444 and its follow-up, the PV-544. Yet even in the days of the “old” 444’s three-speed gearbox, it took even the non-enthusiast only minutes at the wheel to respond to unequalled performance and handling characteristics, as well as overall comfort, in the car. No few immediate buyers chortled to themselves with glee as they bombed past racy-looking roadsters whose owners in turn could only rub…

EDITOR S NOTE—American Motors and the Sonotone Corp. have launched a joint long-range program to explore the possibilities of electric drive for automotive use. Rapid advances in the development of storage batteries of high capacity with relatively low weight, and the fantastic possibilities of the fuel cell battery now used extensively as a power source for electronic equipment in outer space vehicles, bring us closer and closer to a more desirable power source than burning fuel. The ultimate, of course, would be a small, safe, relatively cheap heat source such as an atomic pile, furnishing enough energy to operate a non-combustible expanding gas (steam or mercury) turbine, operating an electric generator to energize traction motors for drive. This would provide greater flexibility of control than direct drive from the fantastic…

LAST OCTOBER at the Paris Salon d’Automobile the Renault factory introduced a prototype of a coupe on the Renault Dauphine chassis. Along with announcing that the Floridé would be brought out during the 1959 model year, they also stated that the rate of production would be determined “according to the orders in France and abroad.” The approximate price, they stated, would be 850,000 francs (about $2024 at the rate of exchange at that time). The reaction was overwhelming. Production has been set and come late fall you can take delivery of your coupe or convertible in white, red, beige, light or dark blue. You’ll have to put your name on a waiting list and shell out close to $2600, but the Caravelle (as it will be known in the States)…

THERE are two kinds of automobile performance enthusiasts: those who get their horsepower with a supercharger, and those who use every other trick to get it. Unfortunately the twain may never meet. Very often you’ll find the “unblown” enthusiast going out of his way to condemn supercharging. On the other side is the “blower bug.” Chances are if he’s ever had a supercharged engine really running right he’ll never be quite satisfied with atmospheric induction again. He’s a wide-open target for every bit of new supercharging equipment that hits the market. We don’t intend to take sides on the question. Our purpose is only to try to guide you in deciding whether it’s practical for you to take the plunge into supercharging—and, if so, what equipment is presently available…. WHAT…

Recaos mean new life for old tires EVER NOTICE THE INTEREST your friendly gasoline station operator shows in the “old” tires you trade in to him on a new set? If these “old” casings are good—i.e., recappable—they are of far greater value profit-wise than the new tires you just purchased. Recapping is big business and a tire is of some use to someone as long as it can be capped. These casings run the gamut of their life from first class retreads to the cheapy caps for junkers on used car lots. Good recaps on good casings are a good investment but what constitutes a good job depends entirely on the skill, equipment, quality of materials and business tactics of the recapper. Bruce Alexander, a recapper who gained an excellent…

It makes quite a difference. Extra weight in the rear end of a car can cause a dangerous driving characteristic called “oversteer” Cars like this will exaggerate the effects of crosswinds and road slopes. This makes them difficult to control on the open highway. In addition, the rear-engine vehicle requires a special springing system, known as the “high pivot swing axle” Cars using this system are not capable of the best roadholding performance. On fast curves, their rear sections often rise and tilt. How does SIMCA hold the road? Motor Life magazine said: “It sticks to the turns as if it were on tracks.” Speed Age said: “SIMCA’s fantastic road-holding abilityi s secondt o none.” Drop by your SIMCA showroom this week, and see the whole SIMCA roster: 5-passenger 4-door…

SMALLER CARS: FACTS: DATE Public admission by the Big 3 that small cars will be available this fall means that for first time since the war, buyers will have a wide choice of cars to choose from. There's really not much new to report, but here is an overall picture of facts to date: Cars will debut starting early in Oct., with Corvair probably first, with Ford's Falcon possibly moved up to Oct. 1, but more likely out mid-Oct., and Valiant early Nov….Chevy will have to fight an advertising battle to Sell its engine in the rear, for already Ford and Chrysler are pooh-poohing the idea. Some of Chevy's ammunition: elimination of driveline tunnel, more efficient interior seating, greater room….All three cars will be unitized construction, permitting lower rooflines and…

EASIER HANDLING • SILENT CORNERING • COOLER RUNNING • QUICKER STOPPING UP TO TWICE THE MILEAGE AT ½ THE COST OF TOP QUALITY NEW TIRES! USERS SAY – “With the very best new tires I can get no better than 6,000 miles under my usual mining road driving conditions. The Turnpike 100s have 8,000 miles on them, and I would estimate they have another 8,000 miles to go before they would need another capping. I’d say that for a car that’s going to be slammed around on rough roads or tight turns, this is the finest retread on the market.” “The tire hangs good to the road. As far as handling, it’s just a heck of a good product. Last time I checked I had nearly 4,000 miles on them…

HOW NEAR ARE GAS-TURBINE passenger cars is a question that pops up regularly. The facts are that turbine-powered cars are a reality today, but the mass application of turbines as a substitute for piston engines for passenger car use may be as little as five years, and as much as 10 years, away. A second, and probably more important question, is: What are the advantages of the gasoline turbine over the piston engine? There are many: It is felt that future gas turbines will be able to approximately double the power or torque of a piston engine of the same weight, or put another way, a turbine producing the same horsepower as our present engines would weigh half as much. Turbines are less selective in fuel requirements and can be…

YOU ARE GOING to be Surprised the first time you drive an electric car because there is absolutely nothing unusual about it. It’s just like driving a conventional automobile—perhaps less complicated. The Charles Townabout looks quite a bit like a customized Karmann-Ghia, except that the rear fenders have the suggestion of a fin and the entire body shell is glass-reinforced resin moulded in one piece. The frame is aluminum with four-wheel independent suspension—again à la VW, but actually fabricated in one hour by two men on jigs at the Stinson Aircraft Co. plant in San Diego, Calif. The car is sold for $2895, which includes charger and a built-in cord and reel for plugging into any 110-volt outlet. And they are being sold—three-quarters of sa million dollars’ worth of orders…

MOST CUSTOMIZING PLANS represent a battle between dreams and dollars … which usually ends in a compromise. There’s no reason why it can’t be a happy one. Last month we showed you how to customfit your car’s interior — now let’s take a look at the outside and a few ways to achieve that look of distinction within your budget. Two of the most popular cars for customizing are the ’55 Chevy (variations of frontend styling are shown on these pages) and the ’57 Ford (different rear end treatments appear on pages 42-43). The number of restyling designs for any car, however, is limited only by your customizing ingenuity and the amount you can spend — $5 to $500, or more. Ways to enliven your side treatment are shown on…

AMERICAN MOTORS is offering a back window screen for ‘56-’59 Rambler, Rebel and Ambassador station wagons. Consists of insect proof screening plus heavy wire mesh to protect against theft and keep the small ones from falling out. Easily installed, easily removed. Inquire at your dealer’s. TOUCH-UP PAINT If you own a ‘57-’59 Chrysler Corp, car (Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge or Plymouth), Chrysler’s Mopar Div. is marketing touch-up paint to match your original finish in either 6-oz. spray cans or small applicator brush-caps for minor nicks. Ask at your dealer’s. ENTHUSIAST TIES of Cuppioni - textured wrinkle-resistant cotton in red, blue, green, tan, mauve or gray are available from John P. Loughlin, P.O. Box 1, Newark, N. J. Can be ordered with a variety of emblems, marque names or flags at $2.50…

SINCE ITS INCEPTION the Austin-Healey— first the 100-4, later the 100-6—has held a comfortable niche between the bigger Jaguar and the smaller MG. Its popularity is easy to understand. Its body lines are handsome, and the engine—even in absolutely factory tune—develops enough suds to get off briskly from a stoplight with stockers from Detroit. Handling, though not flashing in true stock condition, is fair, and very responsive to minor modification. All the elements are there, including a Panhard rod at the rear and a stabilizer bar at the front. But, of course, times change. The Plymouth Fury and the Pontiac Bonneville not only dragged away from stock 100-6’ers, but did it ignominiously. It was no contest. Something had to be done. Fast the in-line six might not have been, but…

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