Automotive news. [volume], March 30, 1940, Page 14, Image 14

About Automotive news. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1938-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
14
rs WWJUJIO^IOGMWY
lim the saga of toe first
lAJIS^ 7 100 YEARS ON RUBBER
By; Chris Siasabaugh
’
'•‘‘•A H *'i ,, > ?:-r.“r-. J -. .,,"
■k jjj
v *,*£W3nk
HARRY KLINGLER,
Pontiac’a chief
crowded Oakland out of the selling picture, made it a
stooge, killed it finally in 1931.
But before bidding Oakland goodbye let’s hark back
to the dashboard and whipsocket days and Ed Murphy’s
Pontiac Buggy Co. Murphy made good buggies but the
burgeoning auto plants up the line in Flint were out
bidding him for skilled carriage makers. He jumped
into the horseless buggy field himself and on Aug. 28,
1907, organized the Oakland Motor Car Co. for $200,000.
He acquired the right to a two-cylinder motor designed
by A. P. Brush for Cadillac but which Cadillac didn’t
want. The two-cylinder Oakland flopped and the com
pany produced the four-cylinder Model K in 1908. The
car soon got a name as a tireless hill climber and pro
duction jumped from 278 in 1908 to a nice 1,035 next
year.
But this production boomeranged; Murphy’s little
company had gotten too big for its corporate breeches
and the financial seams were strained.
Early Oakland History
Billy Durant was getting General Motors underway.
On Jan. 20,. 1909, the GM board authorized him to ac
quire a half control in Oakland. Perhaps Durant wanted
Ed Murphy and his financial genius more than he
wanted Oakland. But Murphy died in the summer of
1909. And GM then took over complete control. Lee
Dunlap was the first general manager and was suc
ceeded by George E. Daniels, an early associate of
Durant. Daniels headed Oakland until 1914.
Flipping the pages, we recall the 1910 money tight
ness—Oakland’s production soaring to 4,000 cars—Gen
eral Motors feeding money it could ill-spare into this
lusty infant . . . creditors rivaling purchasers in num
ber at the Oakland plant.
Fred Warner became head of the Oakland company
in 1914 and remained until 1920. A V-8 was introduced
in 1916, then a light six, and closed cars in 1918. Pro
duction reached 52,000. Out of post-war uncertainties
came a new managerial group to Oakland. George H.
Hannum became general manager in 1920 and B. H.
Anibal, today chief engineer and the “father” of Pon
tiac, joined the company. Ben Anibal has had his mark
on every Oakland and Pontiac made since then a rec
ord to which I doff my hat.
A. R. Glancy went in as general manager in 1925 and
remained until 1931. His regime launched the Pontiac
six, and, as I have said, thus unknowingly wrote finis
to Oakland.
Early in 1927 Pontiac’s growing pains had crowded
it out of the insignificant corner of the Oakland plant
to which its manufacture had been assigned. In 1927
Pontiac manufacture was transferred to what is known
today as one of the most complete automobile plants in
the industry.
In 1928 Pontiac production hit 210,890 units. More
than $5,000,000 was spent on a model foundry that year
and a third assembly line was laid down between the
original two. Production tapered off during the depres
sion—as what didn’t—and struck a low of 42,749 units
Chapter LXf—Pontiac
It seems well-nigh
impossible to scratch
the history of most of
the present-day auto
mobiles without finding
two things: a buggy
company and W. C.
Durant. Pontiac and its
sire, Oakland, are no
exception.
Pontiac today is one
of General Motors’
healthiest units and it
it difficult to realize
that the car was
launched in January,
1926, merely as a run
ning mate for Oakland
which at that time was
enjoying wide-accept
ance as an eight-cyl
inder. But good as Oak
land was—Pontiac was
better. Right off, this
“little brother’’ sold
76,783 units—a record
for first year produc
tion. Speedily Pontiac
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, MARCH 30, 1940
in 1932. From that year on, however, it has been on
ward and upward with Pontiac.
William S. Knudsen became executive vice-president
of General Motors on Oct. 15, 1933, and named his
previous vice-president at Chevrolet, Harry J. Klingler,
as president and general manager of Pontiac.
Klingler is one of the few salesmen ever to be elevated
to a general managership in General Motors. Previous
practice had been to move up manufacturing men or
engineers to the top slot. But Knudsen had an idea and
Klmgler’s record as top man at Pontiac has borne out
how good that idea was. Klingler had the qualifications
for the job as he has since proven, but more than that,
his appointment indicated a recognition of new prob
lems in the industry, and a change in the fundamental
requirements of a general manager. Today the problems
of manufacturing and engineering are licked. The prob
lem of sales remains.
Klingler's First Three Years
Klingler in his last three years with Chevrolet sold
more cars than anyone else in the industry. The trade
construed his appointment to Pontiac as a recognition
of the fact that as a sales-minded president he might
be able to accomplish better results than a man trained
in other lines of tne industry.
Clearly General Motors recognized the Pontiac prob
lem as one of sales. The car from the beginning has
been accepted as one of the best engineered in the in
dustry and one of the best built. Obviously, it needed
better distribution. Hence, Klingler.
In his years with Pontiac, Klingler has disturbed
neither the engineering or manufacturing setups which
he found there when he arrived. He has moved his sales
executives about, however, in a manner resembling
the moves of a master chess player.
The now famed “Silver Streak” was the first model
designed and engineered under the Klingler regime.
Volume went up to 160,000 cars in 1935. Two sixes were
added and the straight eight continued to make the
franchise more attractive. Klingler brought about a
liberal dealer policy and the company also got an ex
clusive and independent wholesale setup.
The Silver Streak really hummed along. The 1935
program to enlarge dealer outlets had to be postponed
because there were not sufficient cars for the estab
lished dealers. Production of the six never did catch
up with orders during the entire model year.
So well accepted was the Silver Streak that in 1936
General Motors cut Pontiac a big slice of $50,000,000
building program for plant expansion. Pontiac this
spring (1940) will produce its 2,000,000 th car, ex
clusive of Oakland’s production figures. This, mind you,
since 1926.
This is the sixty-fifth instalment of Chris Sinsabaugh’s
memoirs. Briscoe’s United States Motors next week.
2 Specialized Units Added
To Chevrolet's Truck Line
DETROlT.— Addition of two new
and specialized units brings Chev
rolet’s 1940 line to a record total
of 59 different body styles on nine
different wheelbase lengths.
Newest of the commercial cars
to be introduced by Chevrolet is
the Dubl-Duti package delivery, a
special house -to - house delivery
unit for which increased economy
and driver convenience are
claimed. A new, larger body on a
specially adapted light-delivery
chassis affords approximately 300
cubic feet capacity. The extra
space is made possible through the
employment of a new-type "over
all’’ body, which extends halfway
over the conventional light-delivery
hood and is built downward to
curb height.
Prime feature of this specially
New Car Sales
Up Sharply in
Columbus Area
COLUMBUS, O —Sales of new
passenger cars in Franklin county
skyrocketed during the second 10
days of March, according to J.
Arthur Yoder, clerk of courts.
His report, covering certificates
of tiUe, show 635 new passenger
car units were delivered during
the period, compared to 272 in the
preceding 10 days.
In the similar period of February
282 units were delivered and in the
period of March last year 405 such
certificates were filed.
New truck sales, meanwhile, were
maintained. Total of 51 units was
delivered in the 10 days compar
ed with 50 the preceding period, 33
in the February period and 68 in
the comparable period of last year.
designed body is the loading space
length, 114 inches on the short
wheel base chassis, which permits
the carrying of a 9x12 rug (rolled),
and the proportion 6 feet 8 inch
height is sufficient to allow stand
ing room for the average-height
driver. This height likewise en
ables the dry cleaner to hang full
length garments that will clear the
floor.
A feature of particular interest
in the new Dubl-Duti, is the
driver’s seat, which is of a "swivel
chair” type. Heavy root and side
panels are attached to steel bow
and channels that form the body
framework, and the side panels
and vertical frame members are
stiffened and braced with horizon
tal reinforcing channels. The floor
and wheel housings are of extra
heavy steel plate, supported by
rigid sills and cross-members.
Likewise dedicated to an in
creased loading capacity with ho
step-up of operating costs, it is
claimed, is Chevrolet’s new \-ton
special panel delivery, on 133-inch
wheelbase, another recent addition
to the line. A utility unit, the \-
ton job, features all-steel body con
struction with side panels and
framework welded to form a one
piece unit. This truck comes in
conventional streamlined design.
The entire Chevrolet line for
1940, including the two newest ad
ditions and the cab-over-engine
models, is powered by an improved
six-cylinder, valve-in-head engine.
Major advances this year include
the introduction of an all-helical
transmission in light end medium
duty models, and hypoid rear axle,
with stronger pinion and lower
tooth pressures.
Pete WemhofTs Fourth Dimension
offers news of automotive advertising.
Labor Relations V
In Car Industry 1
Held Improvin
WASHINGTON.- Labor relat,
in the automobile industry “ on *
whole appear to be gradually
proving as experience in C olU
tive bargaining is gained,” accor
ing to the report made public te
week by the Brookings Institute
on a study which has just b*
completed under its auspices
The survey was made by p,„,
William H. McPherson, assists
professor of economics at
College.. The Brookings Institute
is an endowed body which makt
impartial investigations in econor
ic fields.
The investigation involved »
tensive field work, including m&ji
conferences with personnel ma i
agers, union officials and office
of employers' associations, ai
covered makers of parts, bodm
and tools and dies, as well a* tb
actual manufacturers of motj
vehicles, it is stated. Among th
subjects discussed in the repoi
are collective agreements, houn
grievance procedure, strikes aa
boycotts, wage rates, proflt-sharia|
wage differentials, productivity aa
others of importance in employe
employe relations.
The group of companies whit
have accorded whole-hearted «
ceptance to unions, though snu
is increasing, the report sap
While most managers are reluetn
to grant new concessions to ti
union, it adds, nearly all are ti
parently making sincere effort!:
assure successful functioning i
the agreements they have signs
At the same time, Prof. McPhers
says, the unions are growing ra#
responsible and are making greati
effort to assure observance i
agreements.
N. J. Trucking
Interests Ready
To Rattle Bill
TRENTON, N. J.—Preparate
for a co-ordinated campaign agaii
an anticipated move here to (a
additional tax burdens on 3
trucking industry are being rai
by New Jersey motor carrier inti
ests, together with industries i
pendent upon highway transpon
tion. «
Although not yet formally intj
duced, it is reported that two biii
providing for a 25 to 50 percenti
crease in truck registration ft
and imposition of a mileage t
ranging from lMr to 5 cents p
mile, have been drafted for inti
duction in the state legislate
Progress of the opposition pin
however, indicate that any attes
to press for legislative action i
the proposals will draw strong p> ji
test from numerous sectional bis In
ness organizations, as well as frt Ic
such statewide groups as the Nr o
Jersey Motor Truck Assn, and tl I
New Jersey Highway Users’ 0* oi
ference.
A. L. Rice, business manager I fj
the New Jersey Motor Truck Aj* 1
is explaining the importance i -
the threatening bills to section
meetings of business men in difff
ent localities throughout the sw |
Canada Gives $9,000,000
Order to Ford and G m,
MONTREAL.—The Canadian J i
supply board announced the *
ing of an order for more tffl m
$9,000,000 worth of motor vetuej tr
with the orders about equally w
vided between General Motors ir
Canada, and the Ford Motor m
of Canada.
The board, under chairman®
of Wallace R. Campbell, "
order represents the pisrchase
7,302 vehicles including JJJ*,
service trucks, lorries ana , 8 a
that will be used for the ~
Second divisions and the ®
forces of the Canadian Act! -
vice Force.
Wage-Hour Bill **
TRENTON. N. J. A ■fijf* fed«R
hour bill, modeled »«ertW
act, was defeated by vo te. Pn
here Mar. 18 by a3sto -4 ytiP
proposed legislation would t i
fished a minimum wage o* do „t,oc *
hour from the date of n» tV
Oct. 23. 1940 ; 30 cent*id*"*} „ H
succeeding years and 40
after Oct. 23 1945. ■