LIGHT CAR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 87, 22 January 1938, Page 2

LIGHT CAR

INTERESTING NEW-COMER. ENGLISH EIGHT HORSE-POWER FORD. Light car admirers and enthusiasts have a really pleasant thrill in storefor them when they see the new English 8-h.p. Ford. To call it a ‘small’ car would be doing it an injustice, because, for its class, it is exceptionally big and roomy, yet it possesses those desirable light car advantages of low running costs —40 to 45 miles per gallon—and extreme ease of handling.

Beauty in a car these days is almost as important as utility, the trend of modern streamlining bringing grace and beauty of line more and more to the fore. And this new Ford 'Eight’ is a particularly pleasing example of modern beauty in motor car design. Its impressive front end has a distinctive deep radiator grille merging into widely flared fenders, while the unbroken body lines sweep back from the bonnet to the downswept tail, relieved by horizontal bonnet louvres and an are extending from the top of tile domed wing into the door panel. Pressed steel easy-clean “disc-spoke” wheels with large steel hub caps enhance the modern body style. A Willing Performer. This new Ford ‘Eight’ has a graceful, substantial air, and also a full measure of power, comfort and roominess. So quiet, responsive and flexible is the engine that it is difficult to believe that the car has only an 8-horse-power engine. You ride cradled between the springs smoothly and comfortably, even at high speeds. Exceptional roominess is attained by the use of a 99-inch Springbase (unapproached by any other car in its class). Tubular frame construction for both front seats give greater legroom for rear seat passengers, and the long springbase enables plenty of luggage to be carried in an enclosed compartment behind the rear seat without interfering with passenger accommodation. Sound Mechanical Construction. Braking is an outstanding feature. Girling mechanical, full-compensated type brakes assure correct distribution of pressure over all four wheels. In the system employed the pressure of one shoe is transmitted to the other, thus building up braking force without demanding great effort from the driver As a result remarkably light pedal pressure suffices to bring the car to a standstill under any conditions. Should circumstances demand an emergency stop there is an immense reserve of halting power to bring the car smoothly, quietly and safely to a halt. The new brakes can be adjusted very simply and quickly by the rotation of a cone, without jacking up the car. The latest push-pull type handbrake lever is conveniently located under the instrument panel. The engine with four-point suspension in live rubber, has several important exclusive features, including a three-bearing counterbalanced crankshaft of specially hard cast steel, and permanently adjusted valves, which need po attention. It has a cast steel camshaft, silent bakelised timing gear, automatic ignition, downdraught carburettor, mechanical fuel pumx> and oil-bdth air-cleaner, an exclusive Ford feature to ensure filtered air to the motor.

Equipment- includes non-slip running boards, front and rear bumpers, vacuum type windscreen wiper, rear window blind, indirect lighting for instrument panel, combined stop and tail light, electric petrol gauge, speedometer and ammeter, foot-dipper switch for headlamps, roomy glove compartment.

This new Eight horse-power car is a joint production of the world-famous Ford works at Dagenham i England, and the New Zealand Ford Factory at Lower Hutt. Both are to he congratulated on the success of their efforts in bringing to the light car owner many of the comfort, style and performance features that have hitherto been available only in cars of much greater size,' and cost. lx