Life — January 9, 1913 — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

What Shows Don’t Show By R. E. Olds, Designer You'll see the new model of Reo the Fifth at your local Automobile Show. It will strike you as beautiful, luxurious, roomy —having every final touch. But here are things you can’t see. And they mean, in the end, more than all that shows. Tire Mileage Tires on a car form the chief item in upkeep. Tire-saving means more than all other savings together. Every old motorist knows this. So this year I add 30 per cent to my tire cost, to add 65 per cent to the average tire mileage. I give you tires 34 x 4. Compare them with rival cars. The usual tires on this type of car would more than double your tire cost, so tire makers say. No Possible Flaws The steel in this car is twice ana- lyzed, to make sure it accords with my costly requirements. ‘The gears are tested in a crushing machine, to prove that each tooth will stand 75,000 pounds. This test is usually made with light hammers. ‘The springs are tested in another machine, to stand 100,000 vil tions. I use in this car 190 drop forgings. The average cost is twice that of teel castings. But they give me light- ness and strength. And hidden flaws can't occur in drop forgings. The various parts of this car get a thousand inspections. ‘Thus all the uncertainties are com- pletely eradicated in building this Reo the Fifth. No Overtax It's the sudden shock which shows upa car's weakness, not the ordinary tests. And sudden shocks will come. To withstand them, I give to axl and driving parts 50 per cent over- capacity. I have made them all ample for a 45-horsepower car. To prove them out, I ran one of these cars for 10,000 miles, at top speed on rough roads. I met at its worst every possible road sho: not one important part gave out. Tuse 14-inch brake drums. I use a-inch, 7-leaf springs. I use costly steels—chrome nickel, vanadium, manganese—all to ward off an ov tax. I place cost below safety in this Reo the Fifth. No Troubles That isn't quite true. All ma- chines have their little troubles. But I've gone to the limit to save trouble with this car Each engine is tested 20 hours on the blocks, and 28 hours in the chas- sis. There are five long-continued tests. and 30-35 Horsepower Wheel Base— 112 Inches No Broken Bearings I use in this car 15 roller bearings, 11 of them Timken, 4 Hyatt High Duty. ‘They cost five times as much as the usual ball bearings, But good roll- er beartngs don’t break under strain. Tires— R. M. Owen & Co. 34x4 Inches Center Control Roller Bearings Demoa table Rims 3 Electric Lights Speed— 745 Miles per Hour Made with 2 and S Passenger Bodies General Sales Agents for My carburetor is doubly heated— and hot water—to save asoline, with ho! the troubles with low-gra T use a $75 magneto to save ign tion troubles. I use a centrifugal pump, instead of a syphon, to ins the water circulation. That cost about $10 extra, Cars built slowly and care- fully, parts ground over and over. I limit my output to 50 cars daily, so nothing shall be slighted. No Skimping To make the car show my infinite pains, I give equal care to the finish. The body has 17 coats, The lu urious upholstering is of genuine 1 er, filled with the best curled hair, Add $200 These extremes, I figure, add $200 to the necessary cost of this car. They cut down our profits. They to factory efficiency. They compel us to build every part our- selves, And, to minimize co build only one chassis. But s from three to ten times what it costs to give them to you. force hese things save use They insure to you sa omy, comfort y, econ They insure to me ‘Top and windshield not Inctuded In price. We equip this car with mohair ti shield, gas tank for headlights, speedometer, self-starter, extra rim aad brackets Reo Motor Car Co., Lansing, Mich. Canadian Factory, St. Catherines, Ont. ‘There are three electric lights, and the dashboard lights are flush. And the whole car, even under the hood, is fully nickel-trimmed. Center Control Our center control is exclusive to this car, All the gear shifting is done by one small handle, com- pletely out of the way. It is done by moving this handle only three inches in each of four directions. Both brakes are operated by foot pedals, So no levers at all clog the way of the driver. And this permits of the left side drive. No other center control will please a man who once discovers this. to My Cost that reputation I have spent 26 years in acquiring. I find that car users, more and are coming to look for this Our output is always much oversold. And this year, with 60,000 excellent cars to my credit, the demand will be greater than ever. more, class of car, A thousand dealers are now ready to show this new model of Reo the Fifth. Our 1913 catalog isalsoready. Write us forit now Reo the Fifth The 1913 Series side curtains and slip cover, wind- "all for $100 extra (ist price $170). (136) comicbooks.com