Car Craze

The operation and riding qualities of the early gasoline automobiles improved and came quickly after 1900. Some of the features introduced included a four-cylinder, water-cooled and front-mounted engine; built-in baggage compartments and weather-tight tops and side curtains. Mass production was made possible with the introduction of standardized parts that facilitated cost reduction and quality improvement.

The electric self-starter replaced hand-crank that was needed to start the engine, at about the same time as electric headlights and all-steel closed bodies were coming out. Automobiles soon became a part of family and community life as more and more improvements such as the four-wheel hydraulic brake system, balloon tires, shatter-proof glass, mechanically operated windshield wipers, heaters and better carburetors were materializing.