22 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



If I Bought a Car 



By R. E. Olds, Designer 



Here are some things Fd require if I bought a 

 car. I've learned their need by building 60,000 cars. 



I could save, I judge, $200 per car by building 

 Reo the Fifth without them. But you might lose 

 three times that by the lack. 



Economy 



1 use 14:-ineh brake drums for quick, 

 sure control. 



I would want economy of upkeep. That 

 would mean big tires. 



My cars have always been over-tired, 

 according to usual standards. But on Oct. 

 1st I added 22 per cent to the tire size on 

 Reo the Fifth. Xow the tires are 34x4. 



Tire makers say that 22 per cent will 

 add 65 per cent to the average tire mile- 

 age. 



To further save on tires and fuel I would 

 want a light, strong car. 



That means drop forgings, costing twice 

 what castings cost. In Beo the Fifth I 

 use 190. 



And I add considerable cost to the bodj- 

 to save another 50 pounds. 



Safety 



I would look out for safety, above all 

 else, in any car I bought. 



In Reo the Fifth I use Chrome Xickel 

 Steel, Vanadium Steel and Manganese 

 Steel. Then each lot of steel is analyzed 

 twice to make sure of the needed strength. 



I insist on big margins of safety. Every" 

 driving part in Reo the Fifth is made suf- 

 ficient for a 45-horsepower ear. 



Durability 



In a car of my own, bought for many 

 years' use, I would look for immense dur- 

 ability. 



Roller bearings cost five times as much 

 as the usual ball bearings. But they save 

 many times their cost. 



In Reo the Fifth I use 15 roller bear- 

 ings — 11 of them Timken, 4 Hyatt High 

 Duty. 



I use a machine for testing my springs, 

 and I require them to stand 100,000 vibra- 

 tions. 



I test my gears in a crushing machine, 

 to i_irove that each tooth will stand 75,000 

 pounds. 



Each engine is tested 20 hours on blocks, 

 and 28 hours in the chassis. 



I spend about $10 extra for a centi-if- 

 ugal water-pump, over the cost of sj^phon. 



The various parts of this ear get a thou- 

 sand inspections, so eiTors and weaknesses 

 can't creep in. My 190 drop forgings do 

 awaj- with the hidden flaws often found in 

 steel castings. 



I limit my output to 50 cars daily, so 

 the men are never rushed. 



Such ears don't wear out. 



