What will those scientists think of next?
.Armrest for Car
Easy-chair comfort for the car driver is provided by an adjustable armrest which hooks over the back of the front seat. The driving aid—a flexible metal bar with a sliding cushion—fits all cars. A small lever permits the foam-rubber cushion to be adjusted to the most comfortable height, then locked in place. The metal bar is covered with fabric to prevent damage to the car upholstery.
.Dashboard Keyboard Operates Car-Exhaust Calliope
Under the hood of the automobile owned by Leo Feuchter, of Ironton, Ohio, is a homemade calliope which is powered by the exhaust of the engine and played by means of an organ-type keyboard at the right side of the dashboard. Depending upon the speed at which the motor is running, the sound of the calliope can be heard from six to eight blocks away. To start the music, the operator presses a pedal, diverting the exhaust gases into the instrument. The range of the calliope is two octaves. Feuchter, a sixty-five-year-old automobile mechanic, designed and constructed the unique installation, which has attracted wide attention in parades and at conventions.
.Lighter Puffs Cigarette for You
Insert a cigarette into the new Draw-Matic car lighter, push the surrounding ring in, and in a few seconds the ring pops back to deliver a well-lighted cigarette. The first few puffs needed to give a sure, even light are supplied by the device itself, which is linked to the wiper vacuum line. The makers, Dowi Products, Inc., of Milwaukee, say you can use the lighter without taking your eyes off the road for even an instant, and without danger of burning your fingers on a glowing coil. The gadget, which can be easily hooked up, sells for $2.75.
.Dry-Land Sailing
Although his home town, Friona, Tex., is miles from any large body of water, Ray Landrum still goes sailing whenever he wants, but in a dehydrated fashion. He sails along the highway in a three-wheeled motorless vehicle called a Windmobile, which was built to his design by a local mechanic. In a brisk crosswind, the dryland sailer has hit 60 miles an hour. In the Windmobile, Landrum used the front axle, steering gear, brakes and three wheels from a 1934 Chevrolet sedan. The chassis consists of 1-1/2-inch pipe welded in a triangle. Three oil drums, welded into a long cylinder, form the body. Two cotton sails, both hoisted on one mast, propel the vehicle. A second mast, mounted between the two single seats, serves as a brace for the mainmast. The steering wheel is linked to the single wheel in the rear.
.Is This the Motor Car of Tomorrow?
REPLETE with striking innovations, a motor car of tomorrow that is ready to roll on the highways of today, is part of the Electric Utilities exhibit at the New York World’s Fair. Within an air-conditioned, noiseless body, the driver sits behind an instrument panel holding more than, a score of dials and switches.
.Auto Oven Cooks Hot Dogs
Want a hot dog on the road? Just plug this heater into your car’s electrical system. It cooks two wieners in three to five minutes. Priced at $3.95, it also comes in a 115-volt version for the home. It is called the Hot Dog Sizzler and is made by the Thomas Manufacturing Co., of Chicago.
Check out the cover for a better view of the finished car.
.MI’s Speedball Special
You can build this beautiful sports car for less than $500 with ordinary tools.By Don Bruce
HOW would you like to own this snazzy-looking mahogany-paneled sports car? You can—and for less than $500 if you are the least bit handy with ordinary tools and not afraid to get your hands dirty. The entire chassis and body are made of wood. The power plant can consist of any 2- to 4-cylinder motorcycle engine. Because of its high power to weight ratio, about 12.3 to 1, you will be able to do close to 90 mph. The finished car will weigh in the neighborhood of 750 pounds.
.Japanese Minicar
SUBARU 360 is the newest and one of the smallest Japanese auto products. The tiny 848-lb. rig is only 117 in. long. Its two-cylinder, two-cycle air-cooled engine gives it a top speed of about 50 mph. Gas consumption is approximately 62 mpg. The Japanese minicar is not yet available in the United States.
.Bear Skin Garb Boosts Gas Sales
TO ADD to the scenic effects of his gas emporium, a garage owner in Thurin-gia, Germany, has bedecked himself in a bear skin. Thus he is able to provide his customers with both amusement and engine juice, to say nothing of the extra remuneration which accrues to himself in the deal.
Another sweet ride by German Engineers. (yes I know this is a BMW and the ad is for VW, but they have way better ads)
.Mechanix Illustrated Pin-Up Car
1939 B.M.W. TYPE 328Owner: Wm. S. Kemp, Fitchburg, Mass. Original cost: $3,500. Engine: six-cylinder, overhead valves, 120-cubic inch displacement, hemispherical combustion chambers, three carburetors. Compression ratio is 7-1/2:1 Weight: 1,700 pounds. Top speed: 100 mph. Chassis is steel tubing.
