WardsAuto Flashback – April 2014

75 Years Ago (April 1939): February Car Sales Up; UAW Rift Deepens; Crosley Car Bows

Ward’s Automotive Reports’ Apr. 1, 1939, issue notes new-car sales in 45 selected states rose 32.6% in February over the prior year, to 144,583 units from 109,006. But despite a 26.1% sales increase to 34,355 cars, first-place Chevrolet’s market share declined to 23.8% from 25.0%. Second-place Ford posted a 5.5% sales increase, but its share fell to 19.1% from 24.0% in February 1938. Third-place Plymouth, with sales up 61.5%, saw its market share rise to 14.4% from 11.8% a year earlier. The all-new Mercury grabbed 2.2% of the February market.

At the second of two separate UAW conventions, this one sponsored by the union’s CIO faction, disagreements led to “Communistic elements battling with CIO forces for control,” likely boosting support, in the opinion of WAR, for the group led by President Homer Martin. “It is certain that many delegates went home feeling that Mr. Martin was correct in lashing out against both the CIO and the Communists and purging his followers of their supporters.” The Martin wing already is moving towards affiliation with the AFL, “a step that is likely of consummation in the near future.”

U.S. tire manufacturers are backing a barter proposal that would “trade American reserves of wheat and cotton to Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands for rubber and tin reserves.” The proposal would create a U.S. stockpile of 625,000 of crude rubber as a war emergency. Due to the action of the International Rubber Regulation Committee (The IRRC is an outgrowth of the 1934 International Rubber Regulation Agreement among the U.K., India, Netherlands, France and Thailand forming a cartel to restrict world rubber production and maintain stable natural rubber prices.), the U.S. stockpile in April 1939 was estimated at less than a 5-month supply. American interest have sought to establish rubber sources free from the danger of a naval blockade, “but the only ones in the Western hemisphere are at ‘Fordlandia’ in the Brazilian jungle – two large tracts, but neither one is old enough to yield a sizable quantity.”

As of the week-ended Apr. 29, Ward’s counts Crosley among U.S. car makers. Although series production is set to begin “at once,” only three vehicles have been completed thus far – a 2-passenger convertible, 4-passenger convertible coupe and 4-passenger convertible sedan – all of which, beginning “this weekend” will be on display at the World’s Fair in New York. Assembly takes place at a plant in Richmond, IN, with sales to be handled through Crosley’s 25,000 radio and refrigerator dealers. At $325, the base price is “the lowest offered since the Model T Ford was at its lowest levels.” Major parts suppliers include Waukesha Motors (air-cooled 2-cyl. engine), Murray (bodies) and Spicer (rear axles).

60 Years Ago (April 1954): Reo Merger Seen; Styling Sells; V-8 Use Soars; Power Steering Record

The proposed sale of Lansing-based Reo Motors (maker of medium- and heavy-duty trucks) to privately held specialty-vehicle maker Henney Motor of Freeport, IL, “accelerates the current trend in the automotive industry for company consolidation,” according to WAR. The deal involves the payment of $16.5 million for Reo assets and assumption of the firm’s $18.6 million in liabilities. It awaits the approval of Reo stockholders. In addition to large trucks, Reo manufactures lawn mowers and children’s’ toys, while Henney specializes in the manufacturer of ambulance, hearse and other specialized bodies.

The all-new styling of ’54 model Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac cars is paying “handsome dividends” in increased sales for General Motors. Factory production of those models is “fairly busting at the seams” to meet demand. Added to that, Chevrolet’s planned second-quarter output increase “promises a virtually clean sweep of production in all price fields” for GM. The strong demand for B-O-C cars is the result of an “astutely timed, if not whirlwind-like, decision to advance their production a full year.”

According to a Ward’s survey, V-8 engines were installed in a record 46.7% of ’54 model cars built through March 1953. That was up from 38.4% in the entire ’53 model run and nearly double the 23.7% tallied in ’49. At the same time the usage of I-6 engines fell to 45.9% in ’54 from 50.6% in ’53 and 59.5% in ’49. I-8 and I-4 engines account for the remaining 7.4% of ’54 output in the survey period, down from 12.2% in ’53. Production of the I-8 will cease when Packard and Pontiac change over to all-new V-8s in ’55 models at the same time Chevrolet introduces its first 8-cyl. engine. Meanwhile, in its drive to overtake market-leader Chevrolet, Ford is placing “abnormal” emphasis on its 6-cyl. engine. This is due to capacity constraints for its new overhead-valve V-8. As a result, V-8 use in ’54 Ford cars dipped to 68% from 74% in ’53, the last year for its venerable “flathead” V-8.

At the same time power-steering installations in the first half of the ’54 model year are running ahead of entire ’53 in “virtually all car makes” offering the system. According to WAR, Cadillac became the industry leader by standardizing power steering on all models this year, while Oldsmobile usage rose to 55% from 37% in ’53. Some 78% of ’54 Lincolns were equipped with the device, up from 69% in ’53, while 64% of ’54 Chryslers had power steering vs. 41% in ’53. At the same time, 55% of DeSotos had the option in ’54 compared with 37% a year earlier. Willys, the last holdout, is preparing to install its first power-steering units. Undergoing field tests are a lighter-weight and less costly system developed by Monroe Auto Equipment and an electric power-steering mechanism developed by Hupp Corp.

50 Years Ago (April 1964): Typhoon Hits AMC Showrooms; ’64 Car Output Tops 5 Million; Higher-Speed Trend Continues; Mustang Priced;  Chevy Shows Toronado

American Motors’ Rambler Classic-based Typhoon 2-door hardtop joins the list of spring specialty car intros. A limited-edition model, it features a fastback-style roofline with light-yellow body, black-painted roof, black vinyl interior and special black-stripe side moldings. It is powered by AMC’s new 232 CID (3.8L) “Typhoon” I-6. Rated at 145 hp, it is the largest-displacement production 6-cyl. engine. Seven main bearings along with eight counter weights are used to reduce vibration. Engine blocks are cast at International Harvester’s Louisville, KY, foundry, while heads are supplied by the New Haven (MI) Foundry. Base price is $2,509 including federal excise tax and dealer prep charges.

U.S. production of ’64-model cars through Mar. 31 reached 5,015,261 units on the way to a WAR forecast of 7,773,000, based on manufacturer output plans for the remainder of the model run. If achieved, the forecast volume would be a record, surpassing by 6.9% the 7,340,000 cars built in ’63.

The standard Chevrolet, at 794,066 units, is the leading ’64 model, followed by the fullsize Ford at 586,483. GM accounts for 52.5% ’64-model U.S. car output thus far, more than double Ford’s 21.4% take. Chrysler’s output share is 14.9% and AMC’s, 5.9%. Prior to closing its plant in South Bend, IN, and moving production to Canada, Studebaker built 33,150 ’64 models in the U.S. through December 1963.

The trend toward higher traffic speeds on U.S. roads continues, according to data from the Dept. of Commerce’s Bureau of Public Roads. The average speed for all vehicles in 1963 was 55.6 mph (90 km/h) up from 53.8 mph (87 km/h) in 1962. The average speed of all vehicles in 1953 was 50 mph (81 km/h). The average speed of all cars, trucks and buses in Michigan reached 59.4 mph (96 km/h) in 1963.

Ford’s all-new Mustang sporty car goes on sale this month at a base price of $2,345 for the hardtop and $2,587 for the convertible, including dealer handling charges and federal excise tax. Options include padded sun visors at $5.70 and deluxe front seatbelts costing $7.55. Backup lamps add $10.70 to the cost of the car with 2-speed electric wipers and washers adding $20.10. An air conditioner will cost an additional $283.20, but stingy buyers may delete the standard heater/defroster and save $32.20. Where legal to do so, deleting the standard front seatbelts will put $11.00 in the buyer’s pocket.

Among the 21 cars and trucks appearing at GM’s Futurama exhibit at the New York World’s Fair will be the Chevrolet Toronado. Based on an Impala SS coupe, the car features a revised grille, redesigned hood with air intakes, a chopped windshield and restyled rear end, giving it a lower, wider appearance. A special full-width taillamp, hidden behind a chrome strip, “bounces red light off of a concave reflector so that much of the rear panel appears to light up.” Exhaust ports that flair out of the quarter panel just above the rocker panel is another highlight. 

25 Years Ago (April 1989): Chrysler Details Imperial; Buick Kills Skyhawk; GM Sets Future

Details of Chrysler’s upcoming ’90 Imperial luxury car indicate it shares a 109.3-in. (2,776-mm) wheelbase with the upcoming New Yorker Fifth Ave, a stretched version of the 104.3-in. (2,649-mm) wheelbase C-body New Yorker Landau/Dodge Dynasty. While the Fifth Ave carries the same styling as the Landau, the Imperial sports unique front and rear designs featuring hidden headlamps, full-width horizontal taillamp, a V-shape “waterfall” grille and a more formal roofline via a rear-section padded vinyl “cap” extending forward to the “B” pillar. Chrysler’s premium 8-speaker Infinity II audio system is standard, along with 6-way power front seats and automatic climate control. An electronic-control air suspension is optional.

Buick has “shot down” its low-flying Skyhawk small car, with the final units set to roll off the line at GM’s Janesville WI, plant in May. Skyhawk is the third of five GM J-cars to end production, having been preceded last year by the Oldsmobile Firenza and Cadillac Cimarron. Janesville will continue building the Chevy Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire. To fill the void left by Skyhawk’s demise, Buick will introduce a less-costly variant of the N-Body Skylark in the ’90 model year.

Internal planning documents obtained by WAR, indicate GM plans to build 3,951,000 cars in the ’90 model year, up 5.6% from 3,740,000 in ’89. Output in ’91 is pegged at 4,275,000 units, by which time the midsize W-Body cars (Chevy Lumina, Pontiac Grand Prix, Olds Cutlass and Buick Regal) will have overtaken the fading A-body models (Buick Century, Olds Ciera, Pontiac 6000 and Chevy Celebrity) as GM’s volume platform. W-cars account for 971,000 units of planned ’91 production, more than double the 447,000 units assigned to the remaining A-body models. Meanwhile, the J-car platform will remain GM’s second-highest volume platform in ’91 with 457,000 units planned, just slightly below the 458,000 scheduled in ’89.