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A great but infrequent startler is the motor industry's second-biggest factor, Henry Ford— That Motorman Ford was up to something this year was best known by the heavy secrecy that guarded his plants. Workers were forbidden to talk; others in the know did not dare talk for fear of losing Ford contracts. But last week observers were satisfied that Mr. Ford had an eight-cylinder car, lacking only the master's approval, ready for production. Along with it was expected an improved model "A," although 35,000 of the present type remained to be sold ifc clear up inventory. Back on the job in person Henry Ford still intended to dominate the low priced field, would not be undersold. His improved model "A" might have an optional four or eight-cylinder motor, trucks to be supplied with the four only. But Fords would still be cheaper than Chevrolets.
While the National Show is on, Ford Co. usually has its own exhibit elsewhere in Manhattan. This year it did not overlap the Show but was expected to be in the public eye at the Philadelphia Show next week. Meanwhile, not to let his competitors crowd him off the advertising page, Mr. Ford with nothing to say about a new car reminded people of an old one. ! In December was published a painting of ! Inventor Ford pushing his first contraption out of a red brick barn into a Detroit dawn of 1893.*
Walter P. Chrysler's new Plymouth, like GM's new Buick, had not waited for the Show. It came out in July under the banner of "Floating Power," a basic new principle to reduce vibration, which must have excited the admiration of Charles Franklin Kettering. Rubber sockets where metal parts meet are not new in automotive engineering (TIME, Jan. 7, 1929). But Plymouth's Floating Power is not only rubber sockets. It is an actual placement of the motor on a two-point suspension axis instead of fastening it directly to the frame at three or four places. At the suspension points rubber an inch thick allows the engine to rock naturally without moving the rest of the car. Torque is taken up by a spring connecting the engine to the frame side. From July through December, 83,158 Plymouths were sold to dealers. Floating Power did great things for Chrysler. From a poor third in the low-priced class Plymouth became a real contender, made Ford and Chevrolet look sharp. Sure he had discovered something urgently needed by the industry, Mr. Chrysler introduced all his makes at the Show with Floating Power. Especially rejuvenated was the DeSoto six, with a new round-nosed radiator, all-steel body, hydraulic brakes and free wheeling at around $700.
At the Show last week two other manufacturers, Fierce-Arrow and Lincoln, offered new twelves. Pierce, still advertising "character and social prestige" had one for $3,185. Mr. Ford's Lincoln twelve could be had for no less than $4,300, the eight for $2,900. The Pierce eight started at $2,385.
What Floating Power did for Plymouth last year Free Wheeling did in 1930 for Studebaker, which also owns Fierce-Arrow and the new Rockne, launched in the low-price class to compete with Ford, Chevrolet, Plymouth (TIME, June 29). First to popularize Free Wheeling, Studebaker set an example that nearly everyone has followed. At last year's Show only five stock models had Free Wheeling. There were only about that many exceptions this year.