Life, 1908-12-03 · page 5 of 68
Life — December 3, 1908 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not satirical or political content**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Rambler car, manufactured by Thomas B. Jeffery & Company of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The ad promotes the Model Forty-Four, priced at $2,250, highlighting its distinctive "offset crank shaft" as a technical advantage. The text explains that this engineering feature allows the car to operate smoothly at low speeds (three miles per hour), addressing a genuine mechanical problem competitors faced. The page includes a product photograph of the automobile and technical diagrams showing how the offset crank shaft functions differently from standard designs. This represents typical early 1900s automotive advertising, emphasizing mechanical innovation to prospective buyers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Model Forty-Four, 34 H. P. $2250. Spare Wheel, with inflated tire, brackets and tools, $74. Magneto 8150. THE OFFSET CRANK SHAFT Most automobiles develop sufficient power when they are traveling at a high speed. ‘The great- est need is for power at s/ow engine speeds. Rambler Model Forty-Four can be operated smoothly and steadily at three miles an- hour on high gear. This is because of the offset crank shaft. The Car with the Offset Crank Shaft How the Offset Crank Shaft is an Advantage aft. Positi er. Ordinary Engin ‘osition of piston at ‘all po C explosion cente: xerti turns explosion 10 cranl tng effort to crank shaft. The dead center Dead center » No enerdy wa wastes energy. Shock falls on bearings. No shock to b. Seven passenger model, forty-five horse power with offset crank shaft, $2500. Other models, $1150 to $2500. Write for catalog describing in detail Rambler offset crank shaft, Spare Wheel, straight line drive and other exclusive features of the new Rambler models. THE CAR OF STEADY SERVICE Thomas B. Jeffery & Company, Main Office and Factory, Kenosha, Wis. Branches and Distributing Agencies: Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, New York, San Francisco. Representatives in all leading cities. comicbooks.com