Learn about Life in the 1920s

Events making Automotive News Stories in 1922

The year of 1922 was a period of rapid developments in the Automotive Industry. New companies sprang into business, existing manufacturers released new models, production records were set, and executive positions saw a lot of changes.

SEPTEMBER establishes a new monthly production record, with a grand total of 206,000 motor vehicles turned out of the factories. This total is the more remarkable because we expected a seasonal slowing down during September and in addition Ford shut down for some days as a holiday further interrupting production.

THE Willys-Overland Company made a record during July, August and September of this year, when it produced 37,000 vehicles. This compares with the best previous quarter in 1920, when the output was just 400 vehicles greater.

HUGH CHALMERS has joined the organization of the Joyce Manufacturing Company, which is embarking on the business of making tops, painting and trimming vehicles. He will be chairman of the board.

DURING the year ending October 1, 1922, there were built in the various Durant plants 40,000 Durant cars of the various models. Orders on hand assure full capacity production for Durant in 1923, the schedule calling for more than 300,000 cars. Deposits are now in hand for 231,000 Stars for delivery within fifteen months.

DORT has added two new sport models to its line, a roadster and a phaeton, both listed at $1,105.

HS. DANIELS has resigned as advertising manager of the Dort Motor Car Company and has joined the staff of the Buick Motor Company. He will do special publicity work, with headquarters in Flint.

DEALERS affiliated with the Cleveland Automobile Manufacturers and Dealers Association are keeping their shops closed on Sunday. This is in line with a recently announced policy of the association.

THE Flint Motor Car Company's first unit is now under way and should be completed by July 1, 1923. This is the company organized by W. C. Durant.

THE Biflex Products Company is now putting out a slow motion picture, showing exactly what happens when a big Packard crashes head on into a tree. The movie first shows the smash at normal speed and then analyzes it in slow motion, to show how the Biflex bumper absorbs the shock.

BARNEY OLDFIELD recently left his car in a New York garage at eleven o'clock one night. The next morning he received word from the police that the car had been smashed up on Riverside Drive, with one fatality and another man seriously injured. Barney says now that the incident has taught him one thing, the real meaning of automobile insurance and the importance of having a reputable broker handle the policy, thereby making sure that you are adequately covered all along the line.

T B. BRAY, for years service manager of the Grant Motor Car Corporation, has resigned to join the sales force of the Cleveland branch of the Autocar Company.

AC. BEHRINGER has been appointed assistant sales manager of the Dorris Motor Car Company, St. Louis and Arthur S. Goodall has been made assistant advertising manager of the same organization.

VOLNEY S. BEARDSLEY has been appointed western district manager of the United Motors Products Company of Grand Rapids, Mich. This company is engaged in the promotion of its one ton speed model, the Highway Special.

THE Automobile Equipment Association will hold its fourth annual show in the Coliseum, Chicago, during the week of November 13 to 18. This show is open only to members of the association.

THE Muskegon Motor Specialities Company, Muskegon, Mich., manufacturers of Accuratime cam shafts, has added a line of light weight cast iron pistons to its program. Sales will be directed by A. W. Lines and Karl Kopanka will be in charge of manufacturing operations.

THE Transport Truck Company reports that its Denver distributor, the Swenson Auto Company, is averaging a sale a day, which is "going some", in the language of the street.

THE Newburgh, N. Y.. automobile dealers on October 26-28 held a closed car show in the state armory.

HARRY HAYDEN has resigned as advertising manager of the Howe Rubber Corporation. All matters relating to advertising should be referred to F. M. Griffin, Advertising Department, Cook Building, Cleveland, 0.

IN order to correct erroneous reports, it has been announced by the General Motors Corporation that the present lines of Oldsmobiles will be continued and that a new model at a popular price will be added to the line during 1923.

THE Gardner Motor Company, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., has recently rounded out its export organization. Among the countries which now have Gardner distributors may be mentioned Mexico, Spain, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Norway, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and the Argentine.

THE Automatic Electrical Devices Company, Cincinnati, 0., has added a third plant to take care of production of the Horn-charger, of which 1,000 per day can be turned out in the three plants.

THE board of directors of the Grand Rapids Rubber Corporation recently authorized payment of the regular quarterly dividend of 2% on the outstanding preferred stock of the company to stockholders on record September 20, 1922.

WILLIAM R. STRICKLAND, recently with General Motors Research Laboratory, has joined the Cadillac staff in the capacity of assistant chief engineer.

HENRY L. Thompson has been elected chairman of the board of the Willys Overland organization, following the resignation of Charles B. Wilson.

D N. BARNUM has been elected president of the Mercer Motors Company, succeeding R. P. Smith who resigned.

THE Duesenberg Automobile and Motors Company, Inc., is now getting into production with its preliminary work all cleared away. Factory space is now ready for going ahead on the regular production schedule.

GEORGE W. CUSHING has returned to Detroit as a member of the staff of C. C. Winningham, having resigned from the Barton, Durstin and Osborn organization.

THE Holley Carbureter Company of Detroit has begun construction of an addition to its plant, which will double present manufacturing space, providing a total of 33,600 square feet.

ON November 6, the Packard Motor Car Company will celebrate its twenty-third anniversary. On that date in 1899 the first Packard was produced in Warren, 0.

IN the supplement to our September issue a most unfortunate mistake crept into the article on garage heaters. We said that hot water heating plants for the garage could not be handled by the average accessory dealer. A few years ago this statement would have been true, but to-day the Syracuse Radiator Company has developed a most efficient and ingenious hot water heating system, which can be handled by accessory dealers, without the slightest difficulty. As a matter of fact the need for garage heating plants is so vital, that accessory dealers ought to handle them for their patron's benefit, even forgetting their own very satisfactory profit on the transactions. The Syraco heating system is automatic in action, trouble proof and remarkably efficient in operation.

Source: MoToR Magazine, Nov. 1922

 

1920's AUTOMOBILE RESOURCES

Henry Ford Autobiography
MY LIFE AND WORK - by Henry Ford. A fascinating look behind the scenes at the birth of the automobile industry.

Automotive Industry Events of 1922
Press releases detailing management changes and technological advances of 1922.

List of 1922 Automobiles
Full List of Car Makes and Prices in 1922.