Life, 1910-09-15 · page 29 of 40
Life — September 15, 1910 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from *Life* magazine for the 1911 Thomas Flyer, published by the E.R. Thomas Motor Company in Buffalo, New York. The page promotes technical innovations in the Thomas automobile: a six-cylinder long-stroke engine with large valves and chrome-vanadium springs. Three diagrams compare these features to competing designs, emphasizing smoothness, power, and reliability. The "OWNERS WILL TELL YOU" section quotes satisfied customers from various American cities, a common advertising technique lending credibility through testimonials. Prices ranged from $3,730 to $7,600—substantial sums in 1911. The reference to "Licensed under Selden Patent" reflects patent disputes over early automotive technology that dominated the era. This represents early-20th-century American consumer advertising—no satire intended, though modern readers may find the breathless enthusiasm for engineering specifications quaint.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
yelled elevator as- cends jer the electric ‘car smoothly and steadily. Like the six<ylinder motor, it runs with no interval between power impulses. The hand:pr Lone Stroxe Moror The long lever producesthe same result with less power, less eflort So, with the same power, the long- stroke motor produces greater speed and hill-climbing ability The 1911 Thomas Flyer—Better Than Ever A wonderful improvement. A new era in automobile construction. HE long stroke, large valve, six-cylinder motor, with the new 3-4 elliptic chrome vanadium springs, is a distinct boon to automobile owners. America exclusively in Thomas cars. In Europe the long stroke, large valve motor is used generally. These features produce unquestionably the quiete: Noise, jars, jerks and vibrations running and casiest riding car. are eliminated. Flexibility is doubled. Six Cylinders (No interval between impulses) Increases flexibility over the four- cylinder by over 334 per cent. The greatest improvement since the change from two to four cylinders. The car gently bounds over crossings. Riding over the ruts and bumps of bad roads is a really pleasurable moothest sensation. The necessity for transr The motor develops over 20 per cent more power—our 6-40 de- They are used in ssion gears is almost removed. velops 60 horse power on brake test. Long Stroke Motor (The long swinging stride) Gives equal power with fewer revolutions. The Thomas car is pre-eminently the car for conservative people who love quiet, case and comfort. Large Valves (Unobstructed respiration) Give much more power and flexi- bility at low and high motor speeds. All high-class cars must eventually adopt them. OWNERS WILL TELL YOU “I drove 265 miles through towns and over country roads and hills without once changing from high gear.” CLE, Jones, Akron, Ohio. hink this car is unsurpassed in endurance, grace- fulness and easy riding, and can do anything that any touring car manufactured can. J. Nichols, Chicago, It “In the Thomas Flyer I have the most flexible and the most comfortable automobile to be had.” —Christopher Strassheim, Sheriff, Cook County, Ill “Much pleased with the smoothness of its running. The engine is a great hill climber.” —Geo.G.Genthner, Westboro, Mass. “I think that in this car you have reached perfection in mechanical construction.” —B.F. Thomas, Olean, } “We thought we were making a mistake in getting so high priced a machine .qbut it has saved us more than the difference of cost on repairs.” —Jacob Dold, Buffalo, N. y “The Thomas 6-40, has given splendid satisfaction, and am proud of it."* ; —Elias Lyman, Burlington, Vt as run 10,500 miles up to date. The car satisfactory indeed.”” Henry Pisher, Redlands, My ‘Big Six’ car, which T have had two years, traveled over 30,000 ‘miles with a total expense of $ for up-keep. excepting tire charges.""—Julins M. C berg, 1028 Bolton Street, Baltimore, Md. has been ve Each 6-40 motor develops 60 H.P. on test. Touring Car (5-pass.), Flyabout or Tourabout, $3,730; Touring Car (7-pass.), $3,850; Fore- door Touring Car (5-pass.), or Torpedo Flyabout, $3,900; Fore-door (7-pass.), $4,000; Limousine 6-70 Touring Car (fastest and most powerful stock car built), Flyabout or Runabout, 56,000; Limousine, $7,500; Landaulet, $7,600. E. R. Thomas Motor Co., Buffalo, N.Y. Licensed under Selden Patent Branches: 7-pass.), $5,000; Landaulet (7-pass.), $5,100 4-28 Town Cars (the most suitable car for city and suburban service): Brougham, $4,000; Limousine, $4,100; Landaulet, $4,250. New York, Chicago and Boston