This blog will expand on themes and topics first mentioned in my book, "The Automobile and American Life." I hope to comment on recent developments in the automobile industry, reviews of my readings on the history of the automobile, drafts of my new work, contributions from friends, descriptions of the museums and car shows I attend and anything else relevant. Copyright 2009-2020, by the author.
"Light Cars" and cycle cars were popular during the Depression-Era 1930s, and one -- the Goliath Pionier proved to be the springboard for Carl Borgward's empire of the 1950s that featured 2 makes of trucks and three cars. The Goliath made sense for many cash-strapped Germans, as it did not require a use tax or even a driver's license. It's body was made of wood and fabric, and it was powered by a rear engined one cylinder, two cycle engine of either 200 ccs or 247ccs. Weighing only 767 pounds and costing 1,460 RM, it had a top speed of 32 mph, although turning it at 30 mph could well cause the vehicle to tip over. 4000 units were sold between 1931 and 1934. These little cars that feature an electric starter an still be found in small villages in northern Italy, where very narrow roads favor a small, agile car with enough power to climb the hills.
You can see one at the Lane Motor Museum, in Nashville, TN. Apparently on 4 survive??
Rising from ashes and rubble, Germany returned to automobile manufacturing with a heroic effort. Much has been written about the Volkswagen, but the Borgward Hansa 1500 sedan of 1949 has been largely forgotten, particularly in English language scholarship. There was considerable carry over from 1934-1939 models -- all independent suspension and back-bone frame, for example. And the 1500 engine was a direct descendent of the 1100. Rather ugly with its slab sides and v-windshield, it did have a first, however -- the first factory installed automatic transmission in a European car. A modest seller, the transmission's operation was often not understood by owners, as it had to be dead stopped before putting it into reverse, thus causing a real problem for Borgward frequently to repair.
The Hansa 1500 set the stage for the striking model of 1954, a car you might have seen on recent American TV commercials. The tale of Borgward's end in 1960s remains a contentious story, perhaps retelling in a later post.
From a 1951 Brochure:
"This convertible represents the peak of perfection. Putting up and folding back the completely weather-proof roof, equipped with guides. is a matter of utmost simplicity. On the outside the roof is covered with a durable fabric specially developed for convertibles and on the inside it is lined with horse-hair as a protection against cold. The horse-hair lining is covered with a fabric matching the color of the interior. The cozy and smart interior is upholstered in high-quality leather and affords ample space for five passengers in the comfortable seats. Six different color schemes are available and harmonize throughout -- finish, roof and leather upholstery. The tilting backs of the front seats can easily be folded down."
"Top speed is approx. 95 miles per hour -- Fuel Consumptiom under normal operating conditions 30 miles per gallon."
Source Brochure, "Eine Klare Enschiedung,"Source National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library.
"...one single operation suffices when your car is equipped with the fluid clutch. You simply press the accelerator. there is only one lever, which is located below the steering wheel. It has three positions: one for forward run, one for reverse and one for parking."
Authorize USA dealer in 1951 for the Hansa 1500 was Europa Motors, 991 Sixth Avenue, NYC 18, New York.
I just caught wind of this film last night. It is short film teaching police about auto theft, a huge problem in the 1950s, mostly because of joy riding. but there is also a message about organized crime and chop shops. The recovery rate in any area is key to understanding what the source of the auto thefts are, whether joy-riders or organized crime where the car disappears forever.
I was struck by police use of the hot sheet in their cars, and how it was counted on a drum-like apparatus. I had little to say about this important tool in my Stealing Cars: Technology and Society from the Model T to Gran Torino (2018). I also noted the fabricated tools to enter a car of the 1950s. A clear weakness that opened the door for thieves was the vent window. But oh how great it was to use and play with if you were a kid driving along on a hot day.
Note also the under-the-hood hot wire technique -- jumper from battery to coil and then using pliars to bridge the gap between solenoid and battery connection.
In my The Automobile and American Life (2009, 2018), I spent considerable time discussing the history of automobile radio during the. 1930s. Crosley, Motorola, Philco, and other companies began making rather bulky expensive sets that became popular very quickly, even with inherent difficulties associated with vacuum tubes and poor antennas. What I totally failed mention, however, was the role of radio in advertising automobiles during that same decade. I can’t believe I was so superficial! Above is one example, but there were many. In addition, some of the most popular radio shows were sponsored by the car companies. Much more needs to be said about this topic, as Americans grow to idolize this wheeled objects as perhaps no other possession.
James Flink argued long ago that the 1930s automobile industry in the United States was characterized by a "technological stagnation" when compared to previous decades. And that in the same vein, the 30s catchword was "planned obsolescence." Perhaps, but how does one account fort the fact that in 1939 there were still more then 2 million 1927 and earlier Model Ts on the road?
The 1930s were years of substantial changes to the functionality and design of the American automobile. It was about more car for less money. Brakes were increasingly hydraulic rather than mechanical. Front wheels were independently sprung, wheels were demountable, transmissions had synchromesh in the top two gears, wood was eliminated from the body structure, and chrome replaced nickel brightwork, increasingly used as the decade unfolded. Finally, the very shape of the typical automobile became rounded, as exemplified in GM's "turret top "models. Alligator hoods replaced the two-sided arrangement of hood openings that preceded it, making access for repairs somewhat harder at a time when flat rate charges became commonplace.
The Oldsmobile Viking proved to be nothing more than a transitional model to the 1930s. It still had wood wheels, mechanical brakes, and semi-elliptical springs. But ti did have new technology as well -- a mechanical fuel pump and an 8-cylinder engine with a cast monoblock, that was a first before Henry Ford's V-8. Along with the Oakland, Pontiac's companion car, the V-8 was sold only until 1932, then abandoned for the straight 8 at GM until 1949.
That said, the Viking is a noteworthy car historically, and more should be said about it.
Until the 1960s, every car my father had was a manual transmission three-on-the-tree. That included a 1948 Chevy Fleet master, a 1954 Bel-Air, and a 1962 Chevy II 300. The popularity of this setup started with its introduction in 1938 and endured through the 1960s and even 1970s, including automatics on the column. It was safer in terms of visibility than the floor shifter that it replaced and that would ultimately replace it by the 1980s. For my generation, it was symbolic of my parents and their "old" ways. By 1964 the 4 speed on the floor featured in Pontiac GTOs and Corvairs were the way to go, along with the British sports cars that became so popular with my age group.
What the bigger engine and gearing did or American cars, however, was to allow drivers to dispense with shifting altogether, as long as there were no steep hills or traffic jams. It was "0 to 70, and never a hand on the lever," and that statement reflected the theme of safety on one hand and driver laziness on the other. Meanwhile, Europeans with their smaller engines shifter and shifted high revving and low geared engines, but with a floor shifter that my generation thought they were cool but interestingly got in the way of romance.
