Life, 1919-04-17 · page 39 of 46
Life — April 17, 1919 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but a straightforward **automobile advertisement** for Willys-Knight vehicles, appearing in *Life* magazine (page 673). The ad promotes the Willys-Knight's "sleeve-valve motor" by highlighting its reliability on the Cripple Creek-Colorado Springs stage line route—a mountainous terrain with steep grades (7-19%) that tested competing vehicles, all of which failed before Willys-Knight cars succeeded. The appeal is practical, not satirical: the ad cites performance data (97,000 miles, $149.80 repair cost; another car going 30,000 miles with zero motor repairs) to establish engineering superiority. The phrase "the motor that always runs" is the advertising slogan. This represents early 20th-century *Life* magazine's mix of satirical content with premium advertising for luxury goods aimed at affluent readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cripple Greek-Colorado Springs Stage Line, seven Willys-Knight cars run on railroad schedule every day of the year. The grades vary from seven to nineteen percent, subjecting the motor to terrific strain. These Willys-Knight cars QGFROA VER the mountainous route of the NY were put into service after twelve other kinds of cars had failed. The first car has covered 97,000 miles at a mechanical cost of $149.80. The seventh has gone 30,000 miles without one cent for repairs to the motor. This indicates why the thousands of Willys-Knight owners refer enthusiastic- ally to the sleeve-valve motor as the motor that always runs. Ca Sleeve Valve Motor ASK FOR “THE STOR? OF THE CRIPPLE CREEK STAGE WILLYS-OVERLAND, INC., Zoledo, Ohjso Willys-Knight Touring—Four, $1725—Eight, $2750; Seven wir, $2750—Eight, $3475. Prices f. 0, b. Toledo, CANADIAN FACTORY 2ST TORONTO, CANADA comicbooks.com