WardsAuto Flashback – September 2013

75 Years Ago (September 1938): Future of Auto Shows Questioned; Lower Priced ’39s; Canada Output Picks Up; New Entry Models Coming; Dealer Inventory Low

In its Sept. 3, 1938, issue, Ward’s Automotive Reports editors question the wisdom of auto makers unveiling new models in advance of the round of auto shows that begin in November. “At one time the shows were curtain-raisers on the model year; their dramatic surprise element made them vehicles of enormous publicity value as well as sales results. Ward’s believes the practice of ‘jumping the gun’ more each year is highly detrimental and ultimately will completely break down the value of the expositions.”

Lower prices are to be expected on the forthcoming ’39 model cars with reductions currently reported to be “around 4%, or approximately the advance which heralded the ’38 cars,” WAR tells readers. Lower raw materials costs, component-price reductions and lower labor costs are cited as reasons behind the expectations of lower retail prices.

Canadian car production appears to be recovering from the 1937-38 recession faster than in the U.S. According to Ward’s data, production in U.S. plants totaled 1,345,311 cars in the first seven months of 1938, or 27.97% of entire 1937 output, while the 111,165 cars built in Canada in the same period equaled 53.7% of that country’s total 1937 volume.

Pontiac and Oldsmobile each will announce “junior” lines of cars for ’39. They will be similar in appearance to the larger models, but with less power and shorter wheelbases. (i.e. the Olds Series 60 and Pontiac Quality Six (pictured)both based on the Chevrolet A-body). “Indications are that these cars will sell midway between present base prices and the general stratum of the Chevrolet-Ford-Plymouth level; this difference is now around $200.”

The competition will be particularly pointed at Plymouth,WAR opines, whose price is normally slightly higher than either Chevrolet or Ford.  Hupp also will move closer to the Chevrolet-Ford-Plymouth range with its new 6-cyl. model based on former Cord body dies. Meanwhile, Hudson plans to introduce three new lower-price variants as it moves to consolidate overlapping models of its Hudson and Terraplane lines. “Look for some changes in competitive sales standings as a result of such shifting.”

(Click to enlarge.)

Boding well for a strong ’39-model sales sendoff, dealer new-car inventory at the end of August is estimated to be about 135,000 units, the lowest since the end of 1934. Used-car stocks also are reported to be at their lowest point in several years.

70 Years Ago (September 1943): Labor Shortage Critical; Unitized Bodies

Despite an on-going critical shortage of labor in many parts of the country, the War Production Board announces initial civilian-market truck and trailer production programs for first-half 1944 totaling some 47,919 units. Included in the mix are 22,859 medium-duty trucks, 10,993 “heavies” and 14,067 trailers. Civilian medium- and heavy-duty truck output for entire 1944 is expected to be set by WPB at 75,000 units along with a like number of military trucks. One possible answer to the labor problem is seen in the announced intention of the War Manpower Commission to extend labor priority control in Michigan from the Detroit area to the entire state. Under the process those employed in plants making products deemed “less essential” are moved to those building high-priority items. One cited example is the “recent transfer of 125 skilled welders from a Highland Park manufacturing unit to a Pontiac truck plant producing a new type of tank hull. To facilitate the transfer, some workers were given living quarters nearby their new assignment, while others received increased gasoline rations. “

Post-war cars may use a new unitized body structure, according to a Sept. 11 entry in WAR’s on-going series of articles titled Car of the Future. “Some designers visualize the use of a tubular basic structure to which the roof, side and floor sections would be welded to the reinforced outer skin sheets, which would, likewise be attached to the main supporting elements. The framework, with front and rear overhangs to suspend the power plant and running gear, would be an integral part of the body, thus providing an unusually lightweight, rugged automobile structure that could be fabricated with standard equipment and known methods of processing.”

Although deemed unsuitable for body panels, plastics are seen as having great potential for automotive interiors. “Car interior side and door panels, with upholstery and moldings mounted, would become subassemblies and need merely be secured in place.” Another innovation is seen in the “widespread use of plastic, rubber-like, 1-piece seat cushions, replacing complicated metallic inner spring assemblies.” Nylon upholstery would be “tightly” cemented to the base material using new thermal-setting adhesives.

60 Years Ago (September 1953): Hudson Unveils Italia; Ford Gets OHV V-8, New Plants; GM Hurries ’54 B-Bodies; Linc-O-Matic Bows

Hudson is the first auto maker to take the wraps off of its’54 models, unveiling them to the public at the recent Michigan State Fair in Detroit. The standard Hornet and Wasp benefit from revised grilles, 1-piece curved-glass windshields, restyled rear fenders and trunk lid that increase trunk room, more luxurious interiors and more powerful standard and optional L-head 6-cyl. engines. A new Jet-Liner luxury variant joins the compact Jet series.  A Borg-warner automatic transmission is optional on all Hudson models, with power steering and power brakes available on Hornet, Wasp and Super Wasp for the first time.

Hudson also has introduced its Italia sports coupe, built on a 105-in. (2,667-mm) wheelbase and powered by a 114-hp I-6 mated to a 3-speed column-shift transmission with overdrive. It is 10 ins. (254 mm) lower than a standard Hudson and features “anatomical” seats with reclined seatbacks.(It is the pet project of Hudson designer Frank Spring who hopes to capitalize on public interest garnered by Chrysler’s series of Ghia concept cars as well as consumer enthusiasm generated by the new Corvette, Kaiser Darin and Nash Healey 2-passenger sports cars.

High price, Hudson/Nash merger sink low volume ’54 Italia.

However, Italia’s $4,350 POE price in New York – $4,800 in Detroit – is higher than most of its 2-seat competitors, not to mention 8%-10% higher than the least-costly Cadillac. But orders tank after an initial burst of buyer interest following its introduction. The plug is pulled just a few months after the January 1954 merger of Hudson and Nash-Kelvinator into American Motors. Italy’s Carrozzeria Touring builds only an estimated 26 of 50 Italias originally commissioned.)

The flathead V-8 will be consigned to the history books in ’54, WAR notes, as Ford and Mercury replace their aging side-valve V-8s with new overhead-valve designs. Ford already replaced its L-6 with an OHV I-6 in ’53. To accommodate increased car production, Ford is building new engine and stamping plants in the Cleveland, OH, area. The engine facility, producing the new OHV V-8, is being constructed adjacent to Ford’s existing engine and foundry operations. The new 562,000-sq.-ft. (52,212-sq.-m) plant provides additional capacity and will not replace an existing facility. In addition, production at the current Cleveland engine plant is being converted from 6-cyl. to Mercury V-8 output. At the same time, work is progressing on a new $20 million, 1.0 million-sq.-ft. (92,903-sq.-m) stamping plant being built in Walton Hills, southeast of Cleveland.

’54 Buick Century Riviera hardtop carries restyled GM B-body.

According to a special WAR Bulletin of Sept. 7, “Fisher Body and other captive GM tool sections are reported as working seven days, with all the overtime the skilled workers will put in” to launch redesigned B-body cars for model year ’54. Originally planned for ’55, the revised B-bodies will be used by Olds’ Super and Deluxe 88s along with a “B-Extended” having longer rear quarter panels for the Olds 98. Buick will use the new “B” for its 40- and 60-Series cars. A redesigned C-body bows in the Buick 50- and 70-Series as well as the Cadillac 60-series. Cadillac’s 75 Series adopts a new D-body. All B-, C- and D-body cars feature wraparound windshields and “everything from an appearance standpoint will be radically new.”

To ease the production crunch caused by GM’s recent Hydra-Matic transmission plant fire, Ford is rushing to build a beefed-up variant of the Merc-O-Matic automatic transmission for use in’54 Lincolns. Dubbed Linc-O-Matic, the new transmission is scheduled to be supplied at a rate of 300 daily, at the outset of ’54 production starting Oct. 15. Ford has yet to determine if Linc-O-Matic with be used exclusively, or in combination with some Hydra-Matic units in ’54. An all-new Lincoln automatic gearbox is slated for introduction on ’56 models.

50 Years Ago (September 1963): Michigan Auto Output Rises; Corvette Sets Record; NSU Wankel Bows; Midyear Entries Set

Stingray styling and new fastback coupe power Corvette to ’63 output record.

Michigan auto plants built 33.3% of 7,324,852 cars produced in the U.S. during the ’63 model run, the state’s highest share since 34.7% in ’57, WAR data shows. In ’62 Michigan accounted for 31.7% of the 6,671,417 units built. The industry’s production hub – Detroit, Dearborn, Wayne and Hamtramck – built 15.6% of all ’63 cars. Detroit ranked first in ’63 car out at 477,439 units, with Kenosha, WI, at 464,136, second. Flint’s (MI) 462,085 completions were third and St. Louis, MO’s 443,633 builds ranked fourth. In fifth place was Los Angles with 359,849 cars to its credit.

Corvette output soared to a record 21,513 units in the now-ended ’63 model run, up 48% from ’62’s 14,531 completions. The introduction of Stingray styling and a new fastback coupe are credited for the surge. Although the convertible was the more popular of the two body styles offered, the fastback accounted for the 49.2% of ’63 output. Rumors suggest that ‘Vette output, running at more than 2,000 monthly at the St. Louis plant may be added to the mix at Chevy’s Flint car plant.

(Click to Enlarge.)

A production car with “the first new automotive powerplant to go into production in over 50 years” is unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show in Germany, where NSA takes the wraps off of its Wankel-powered rear-engine Spyder. The car is expected to bow in the U.S. shortly after its spring 1964 production launch. “Advantages of the Wankel engine, cited by its creators, include small size, high power output (64 hp from 0.5L displacement), low weight, near absence of vibration compared with the up-down motion of piston engines and longer car life due to less vibration.” On the negative side, oil and gas seals, choice of materials, heat transfer, detonation and short sparkplug life are seen as possible trouble spots.

High-performance GTO package is new option for ’64 Pontiac LeMans buyers..

Firestone is seen as being on the threshold of a “revolutionary development in tires – a fiberglass cord particularly promising for use in the radial-ply tires, a new tire type in which the cords run across the tire body instead of at an angle.” The European market is seen as the best immediate outlet for the radial-ply tire. Meanwhile, an official of General Tire & Rubber says there will be “at least 100” materials in use by 1973 that don’t presently exist. He also forecasts “at least a dozen new industries” will be created in the next 25 years.

A spate of midyear ’64 entries is being readied for introduction by spring 1964. First up may be a new GTO option, with a 389-cid (6.4L) V-8 and red-stripe tires, for Pontiac’s midsize Tempest, by November.

Reportedly bowing next May is a fastback version of the Valiant, dubbed Barracuda, that Plymouth is gearing up for with “high hopes for its success.” Ford plans a spring intro for its new “sports-type” car with long-hood, short-deck styling in coupe and convertible body styles. Olds and Buick will debut new midsize wagons with raised rear roof featuring windows over the higher rear seats. 

25 Years Ago (September 1988): Olds Sees 740,000 in ’89; UAW Challenges Chrysler; Allante Future ‘Safe’

Now in its 7th year, Cutlass Ciera is forecast to be Olds’ best-selling car again in model year ’89.

Oldsmobile officials, at the division’s new-car press conference, forecast sales of 740,000 cars in the ’89 model year, beginning Oct. 1, up from an estimated 700,000 in ’88.  A-body Cutlass Ciera will again be the top seller, although volume is expected to slip to 232,000 units from 237,000, as sales of the W-body Cutlass Supreme increases to 142,000 from 98,000 deliveries in ’88, thanks to the all-new 4-door variant. The 88 lineup also is slated for a gain to 165,000 from 157,000 units, while the 98 dips to 75,000 from 77,000. Absent in ’89 is the small Firenza J-car, the last 12,000 of which were sold in ’88.  

UAW protests plans to move Dodge Aries production to Mexico in 1989.

The UAW reveals plans to fight Chrysler’s decision to build an additional 55,000 K-cars (Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant) in Mexico for export to the U.S. in January-August 1989 at the same time it is eliminating 5,500 U.S. jobs when it closes the Kenosha, WI, assembly plant it acquired in 1987’s takeover of American Motors. The union wants Chrysler to continue building K-cars at its Jefferson Ave. plant in Detroit instead of replacing them with the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon small cars now built at Kenosha.

Bright future seen for Cadillac Allante in ’89, despite two years of money-losing sales.

Despite selling only about half its projected volume, the future of Cadillac’s sporty Allante 2-seater appears “safe” according to WAR. The basis for the optimism is “insider” reports the car will receive a version of Cadillac’s upcoming new V-8 engine, codenamed Northstar, in model year ’92.  Only 2,517 of the $56,533 base price Allantes were sold in 1987 with 3,500 expected in 1988. Still troublesome is the fact that one Cadillac official tells WAR the auto maker isn’t making any money on the car, although dealers are clearing about $8,000.