NEW AUTOMOBILES

[Music] [Music] the manufacture of automobiles is America's greatest single display from the birth of the automobile industry in 1895 to 1942 when war soft car production 90 million motor vehicles were built in the United States one out of every seven gainfully employed Americans earns his livelihood directly or indirectly from the automobile of the 90 million vehicles built to 1942 30 million are still on the highway most of these according to three standards need replacement now [Music] as war choke civilian production to a standstill the automotive industry performed the miracle of conversion that helped still German and Japanese war machines never in history has so much been made in so little time nearly five million guns of all kinds and multitudes of shells three and a half million engines two and a half million tanks and trucks to mention just a portion of the motorcar industry is war production war production stockpiles were so great that even before VJ day the industry had turned to a limited civilian production again it moved fast to create jobs and products needed by post-war America the demand for new cars was so pressing there was no time for gaudy trimmings and super streamlining we just wanted good substantial automobiles manufacturers were ready to shift into high gear production America needed at least 10 million new cars almost at once as the war came to an abrupt end production problems began to manifest themselves all industry suddenly had to have essential raw materials for civilian production steel texts old wood copper and hundreds of other basic products were in tremendous demand for home building furniture making and other fabricating the available supply was hit hard and had to be spread thinly as the floor supplies the materials became a trickle production lines in motorcar factories were sharply curtailed production schedules were knocked out again and again the industry was unable to meet goals previously set time after time partially completed cars were stalled on the conveyors for lack of some seemingly insignificant part what are the real reasons for the shortage of automobiles well let's take a look behind the scenes today showroom floors do not have much for mr. mrs. America to choose from in the first seven months of production after the war the average dealer was lucky to have received two cars of course a lot of books placed orders for new cars even during the war but as millions of man were released from service they added to the backlog of orders held up by countless interruptions however the motorcar industry has filled the needs of only one customer for every three had expected to accommodate many buyers took delivery of new cars without bumpers rear seats hubcaps and other parts not affecting the operation of the car hardest-hit in the waiting process were the dealers who had to take the front of customers dissatisfaction although most new car dealers continued to take orders they warned prospective buyers that production uncertainty has made it wise to nurse their present car as long as possible new car salesman today are busily repeating the shortage story to customers there are multitude of reasons for the scarcity of new passenger cars let us do this medium steps behind the scenes of the fabulous automotive industry and discover firsthand what is delaying your new car let's get the facts from the industry itself the Automobile Manufacturers Association has made an exhaustive study of the current production situation and here are the facts original plans were to step up production month by month as this chart showed leveling off at a rate of approximately 500,000 cars after a full year of operation actually the monthly increase was drastically under this early estimate as a matter of fact there were months when output fell instead of increase the profit and loss chart of the automobile business somewhat reflects the national economic condition there's been a profit consistently except during the depth of the depression and in the post-war period prospects are better for the coming months strangely enough employment is higher now than in 1941 of almost 700,000 employees making motor vehicles current payroll short tremendous jump over pre-war wage payments only passenger car output is shown here despite record-breaking replacement parts production and volume truck manufacture total production has been below 1941 [Music] there is no comparison between post-war eras following the to war after World War one the drop was negligible [Music] but in the first nine months after world war ii only 20% of the pre-war output was reached despite far greater manufacturing the Philippines existing today now let us see what the leaders of the industry have to say about the current situation George W Mason president of the National Vanita Corporation and the Automobile Manufacturers Association said all we need to accomplish full production at Nash is a free flow of supplies while many of the barriers to full production have recently been eliminated others remain until all of these are discarded the automobile industry cannot expect to have the quantities of materials essential to volume production well it's oval and modern President James D Muniz ed I think 47 will be a lot better than 46 they're signs of the country wanting to go back to work we seem to have to put some of our post-war spree behind us we have the resources and the tools let's take off our coats and go back to work and make 1947 a good year Chrysler Corporation president Katie Keller in his latest report the stockholders explained that the immediate difficulty on production arises from the shortage of material the flat steel situation is typical and most outstandingly important Hudson motor company's president 8e Barrett says the production achieve has been accomplished through extraordinary efforts and it hired faster than anticipated for the procurement of material we have no assurance of better conditions in the foreseeable future seee wilson president of General Motors recently said I wish you could go with me through our operations and see what we are doing and a desperate effort to fill production gaps keep the work when employed and satisfy our customers who have been waiting so long for the new cars they need so badly Paul Hoffman president of the Studebaker corporation said we're all set to double the current rate of our passenger car production provided we can get enough materials but as a salesman I regret to say that it doesn't mean everyone who wants the new a 1947 Studebaker will be able to get delivery immediately the first serious roadblock to immediate new car manufacture was reconversion for more work acres of tea time tools had to be brought out from storage catalog recondition and setup where war equipment machinery stood reconversion was no simple task war production differed greatly from peacetime manufacture the unique layout of automobile assembly lines required elaborate planning to accomplish the switchover in the least possible time again as for war the industry shattered all estimates of time required to complete the job in many cases the job involved tremendous structural changes of course during the changeover there was no production line your new car I was being delayed several months but worked what ahead at an accelerated pace nearly all companies look to production that would not only match but exceed pre-war capacities and initiated new construction a typical reconversion problem facing one manufacturer was the moving and reinstallation of over 20,000 machines this equipment ranged in size from small drill presses and lathe through giant hydraulic presses weighing as much as 150 tons a grand total of more than three million tons of machinery dyes and other equipment was handled in the one plant included the operation was a tremendous time-consuming job of rebuilding many of the machines from war equipment producing units back to auto building units while Victory in Europe produced military requirements the few companies faced larger war orders after VE Day than before however the battle to when the peace had to be waged simultaneously auto companies rushed plant retooling ordering of materials and parts to provide jobs for elite war workers and returning veterans some plants were actually reconverted before VJ day the physical part of the job was over three months after final victory the expected long period of mass unemployment following the war was avoided reconversion speed equal that of converting for war plans for car production were rushed to completion now the industry was ready but what is there to making an automobile well let's see the automobile production line begins in the earth a steady flow of raw materials from the earth to the factory as the first bus of car production [Music] train is needed for paints and varnishes world for upholstery and floor coverings cowhides for leather in your car even beeswax throws in the automobile-manufacturing thousands of bales of cotton for supplies from 44 states are you sugar cane for essential chemicals turpentine for paints four-fifths of all the world's rubber goes into automobiles for tires insulation windshield wiper blades to name just a few uses products from 60 countries are needed billions of feet of lumber to Cole to provide power and drive the tools of Industry and then of course the most vital of all automotive raw materials iron ore most automobile iron ore comes with tremendous Minnesota and Michigan pine bin is transported to the steel mills aboard the famous long ships of the Great Lakes roughly 3/4 of every car is made of iron and steel yes these things are the lifeblood of the automotive industry once within the wall to the factories raw materials are miraculously transformed through quality production methods this animated chart is the best possible illustration of this secret of automotive mass production the center path is the main assembly line beside avenues are supplied points now to understand the new car shortage you must realize that it even one of these supply avenues lacks even one component part it disrupts the entire mainline supplies to the main line must be time to precision accuracy now think of the supply avenues as raw materials manpower paint carburetors crack shafts and some 15,000 different parts and you'll begin to understand the miracle of the automotive production line actually however a visitor to a modern automobile plant views what he sees with astonishment confusion rather than simplicity and order seem to dominate heart the materials appear to be screaming and haphazardly from all corners of the factory yet each work station each conveyor line each tool is accurately placed for just the right amount of parts materials reaching a given location on a strictly controlled time schedule as you watch them keep in mind the animated chart just shown [Music] partially completed new car motors move by conveyor from point to point where other components are added [Music] as the engines travel along the line they are subjected to periodic inspections manifolds are installed next come flight wheels that make your motor run smoothly hands are now headed [Music] near the end of the long assembly line transmissions are attached by conveyor completed engines move to the brake end blocks here they are run at various speeds over extended periods of time here is where your motor undergoes its acid test and where the rough edges are polished to perfection through actual operations when this motor rolls again it will be within that new car the industry hopes to deliver to you soon let's talk about this export problem now the automotive industry must trade in foreign markets it must buy materials which are not obtainable in America by the same token it must sell a portion of its output to people and other lands for the good of our own economy frequently cars are built in this country shipped in parts and reassembled upon arrival remember this one out of every 10 Americans working in the auto industry was dependent on foreign sales for its livelihood in pre-war years a limited number of new cars are going to overseas customers such export is under strict government control [Music] currently the automotive industry is sending only one out of every 20 cars produced to overseas consumers less than is permitted most foreign shipments have gone donations in North and South America although China India Belgium Holland France Australia and other countries have received orders these are important pockets for tomorrow [Music] plus the automotive industry is production lines actually extend to the four corners of the earth Indians Frenchmen Belgians Brazilians and others they all benefit very important to the industry however are the vital important means to keep the line moving for mine nickel ten vanadium hemp rubber and a thousand others these must all come from overseas therefore the flow of material raw and finished must be maintained both ways we cannot afford to overlook our foreign markets as a preservation of our national economy although executives feel the pressure of current demands George Christopher president of Packard motor car company for example recently undertook a nationwide tour by air to bring first-hand facts about the current and future production situation to company dealers he met with sales representatives in seven key cities with a more complete understanding of the company's struggles dealers are better able to cope with their customers requirements in meeting such as this dealers learnt our recurring shortages at Barry a small part of time and against all production and force this one company to cut back schedules 13 times in 1946 an example of events that occurred in all automotive company negative telegrams in response to frantic appeal for supplied underscored the problems confronting all producers what are some of the typical small parts causing such large headaches [Music] well they're roller bearing rubber Bering Sea use break Springs copper bushings and control arm bushings thermostats piston much pressure springs transmission powder gear and shafts control arm shares cotton work gloves even paper and cartons for shipping multiple fees by many thousands that's what's tied up production lines even entire plants the flow of such part must be maintained at all costs special departments of procurement experts and expediters have been built up by companies to scour the country or desperately needed supplies and some costly practice as a matter of fact there are more automotive employees engaged in expediting work today than at any time during the war years [Music] when a supply of scant items is located by the Expeditors company's resort to expensive extremes to get equipment to the hungry production lines flames are very often charter meeting and loading one of these air giants is just as carefully timed as the four parts to the final assembly line bridal odds and ends are fought to assembly points daily across feeder blasts across the nation in fact as soon as the plane squeals have lifted from the ground word is flashed to the factory that the precious cargo is being winged through the air and the ship speeds toward its destination the waiting plant moves and action Wirthlin tools assembly lines delivery trucks are set to receive the supply coming into detroit a few short hours after its takeoff the plane looks down on the city's giant automobile plant that famous Willow Run Airport the pilot eases the irreplaceable shipment to the ground taxes up the runway with an I feel for the delivery trucks which are to receive the supply [Music] it swings into the landing circle and eases to a stop crew members are ready to disgorge the automobile supplies waiting only for delivery trucks to take them away the schedule has been met and on-time production can continue for another day the industry's famed mechanization is even reflected during unloading unless the parts are fed into production lines almost immediately a full day of manufacturing can be lost the flow of materials must be maintained at all cost here is another shortcut it's the Pony Express a method of employing huge trucks and trailers and relays to cover long distances patterned after the legendary Pony Express of Wild West days frequently vital bulky material is moved by this device it's a precisely timed operation with trucks loaded at one point and unloaded at another several hundred miles away at just the right time let's follow one of these trucks as it rushes a load of cushions from one point to another rubber-tired we use began to turn in the mammoth truck trailer with its essential Lord moved on the highway the first leg of the 630 mile journey is underway thus overtakes the swiftly moving truck it's a clear night good driving weather and the vehicles roars toward its destination the fate of several thousand jobs and cars in its care ahead there's an important rendezvous near midnight the big van arrives at an improvised wait thigh terminal just pathway to the end of the line they're ready and waiting is the second powerful truck the trailer is uncoupled and quickly hooked to the new vehicle only a few seconds consume here no chance to shoot the breeze times too precious in the battle to keep automobiles flowing the customers and workers from being laid off for the lack of a park [Music] back onto the highway goes the combination the modern-day Pony Express by such means is this our critical item shuffle between suppliers plants and automotive factories raw materials and important components the list is long the cost is high but the end justifies the means third of the next morning just 19 hours later the truck rolls up the drive to the needy plant it's 7:00 in the morning men swarm to their jobs when they get to their benches desk an assembly line stations the plant will swing into high gear no break in production today thanks to a couple of sturdy truck drivers last night into the planet goes production lines can keep rolling thanks to today's Pony Express you can't take an automobile without Steve that's the end of the war iron ore has been fed into blast furnaces and steel rolled out at the highest peak time rate in history yet the lack of sufficient steel has been the automotive industries most pressing problem one of the many steps in the process of making steel white-hot coke is dumped into cars for delivery to blast furnaces reduced to a liquid at about 2800 degrees Fahrenheit iron streams out of the blast furnace and a hissing sparking River the transformation into Steel has begun let's look inside a steel mill and see what it takes to make this most necessary of all automotive material [Music] alloys are added to the mixture brewing in the furnaces a patch of this metal is added a touch of that metal until just the right quality needed for automobile production in compounds here you see the engines being removed from the heating furnaces on their way to the rolling mills now the ingot has become a slab reheated it slides to the finishing mill enters the rolls to emerge as a sheet of shiny steel which will end up in many different places in a motor car hood bodies fenders and towels to name some of the most important parts of the 1 million dollars worth of material which flows in the motor car plants daily under normal operations cheap steel comprises the greatest portion thus car production must be geared to the rate of supply and delivery of steel products many ingenious conservation practices have been developed within the industry here's a typical example of one that has helped companies maintain hospital cars after each operation there remains an excess of metal around the edges of the park these pieces are then fed into a device which looks like a washing machine wringer smooth out the trams are used in machines which touch out smaller pond the board you're looking at contains the sample of every trend from every operation where Salvage is possible each of these pieces is fed back into the plants productive processes again and again until all usable material is consumed trims like those on the display border what these workmen are using to punch out small parts leftover material will be turned back for still further salvaging normally excess trends would be merely collected and returned to steel mills as scrap nowadays everything is carefully salvaged even floors are swept for salvage purposes nothing is allowed to go to waste shavings from grinding and cutting machines are swept into handy containers by operators as the material is collected it is fed into a machine for bailing dumped into a chamber the scrap is compressed in the solid Bale scrap is an extremely necessary ingredient for steelmaking it adds to the quality automatically loaded on a conveyor the bales are now carried to another part of the plant at the end of the conveyor line the scrap is dumped into a furnace our material shortages affecting new-car quality how can they with constant policing among the 2,000 tests given all new cars is this one a sample of every batch of Steel is sent to a laboratory where composition is analyzed steel chips from this drilling operation are sampled in another test delicately balanced scales were employed by laboratory technicians to ferret out secrets manufacturing chemicals are carefully and regularly tested all the tools of science were employed in the modern automotive laboratory x-rays turn up structural defects in metal parts the life expectancy of a car spring is learned from this test wear and tear on upholstery is studied for this device powerful synthetic sunrays test color fastness of materials how efficient our protective coating this test tells automotive engineers the facts your new car must be able to withstand the most rigorous tests for safety Americans need millions of good solid substantial cars the nation's greatest single industry is exerting every last effort to meet the demand as soon as possible the new products are better than ever we have maintained world leadership in quality and quantity we must all work for keeping ahead of the field throughout the world market soon it will be a buyers market again our products must be as strong and durable at our way of life postwar strength must be consistent with our wartime show of power indeed those of us who have personal need must be ready to give all American industry time to catch up with these new days of peace the auto industry marching forward with other great sources of national production will triumph the cars it is the will of all Americans it's through the daily labors of all of us we will finally see a happy prosperous and bountiful American democracy these facts came from the industry itself these scenes are a composite the automobile picture today the manufacturer the worker and the dealer they're all anxious to fulfill your needs in modern transportation Mr and Mrs America 10 million of you need cars that's a big order but we'll fill it that's a lot of cars but we'll fill them 10 million and more lots more business has faith labor has failed and America has faith in the nation's greatest single industry the automobile industry [Music]