MAKING A GOOD CAR BETTER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17986, 1 February 1924, Page 5

MAKING A GOOD CAR BETTER.

"SILENCE" AND "PERFECTION"

Two of the words most conirnohh used in describing or qualifying tn. e description of motor-cars are "perfect and "silent"—and, "regardless of grammar, "most perfect'' and "most silent."

To start -with, there can bo no such thing as either a perfect or a sileiiu motor-car. We can approach perfection or silence, but we can achieve neither (states a writer in an. English exchange). And if you come to analyse tho situation you will lind many cases -where the lack of perfection is attributable to the lack of silence. Hut there are also many other little detects in even tho best of our cars—and some big ones! . .. What are th-e minor defects in wlucii we may reasonably look lor improvement iu the future? Noisy Starters. If—quite a big ."if," of course—l were going to pay about £3OOO for a motor-car, I should feel justified in complaining of tho terrible noise made by the self-starter. Is tho "reasonably inaudible" (as there's movement it can't be "silent' ) action of the self-starting mechanism beyond the combined brains of the entire automobile .-world? Judging by what has been achieved so far, it would appear that the problem is too difficult to solve—simple though it appears on tho surface. But with so obvious a sphere for improvement surely we are not justified in saying that automobile design has reached its zenith. It may be, of course, that manufacturers know that all cars are tarred with the same -brush, and consequently do not worry. - But I hazard the guess that if one maker provides a "substantially silent" self-starter the present terrible noises would soon be a thing of the past on all high-grade cars. Shrieking- Gears. And what of the unholy shrieking of tho indirect gears? Here again is an opportunity for the manufacturer to effect an improvement. I often think the war has "lost us the art" of mnkinrr quiet gear-boxes, as it is doubtful whether many are so good as they were in pre-war days. In regard to this item, wo often suffer through doing tlic job too well. A cast-iron gear-box is frequently quieter than the same train of gearing mounted in an aluminium casing. Somebody ought to invent a gear-box silencer—though it- would be too lato for our competition 1 And what about some of the many minor defects in a car? How often is the oil filler inadequate for its job in life? How often is extreme care necessary to pour petrol in. if paint work is not to bo damaged? "Whys" for the Wise. Why are number plates put where they catch all tho mud ? Why doesn't the self-starter self-start on cold, foggy mornings? Why, oh, why, is the automatic adjustment of the • fan bolt so rarely provided? Why are there still umpteen lubricators each about 99.9 per cent, below proper capacity? Why does tho engine spend 90 per cent, of its time on 90 per cent, of cars working at a known wrong temperature? Why does the average open car still pour an air draught down your neck ? But I must not go on "why-ing." 1 shall £-poil your holiday tour. The car of to-day is really vary good. But it is not duo to pedantry that I refusa to accede to it being termed "perfect" or ""silent." ROAD LIGHTHOUSE. FIRST IN AUSTRALIA. A very interesting ceremony took place at Mordialloe (Victoria) on January 17th, when the -first "Highway Lighthouse" was lighted and dedicated to the use of the travelling public. It is installed on what is jjrobably the 'most popular motor route in Australia, it's exact location being 011 the south side of tho overhead railway bridge at Mordialloe. Thero is a dip to the bridge, which, having centre piles and being 011 a slight curve, lias always been a more or less dangerous .spot. The "lighthouse," with its warning notice: "Caution, curve," and its intermittent anibcr-colourcd light showing night and day, will' be a signal to road users of the need for care approaching the bridge. It is quite an innovation in tho way of warning road signs. Tho beacon wa.s erected through the instrumentality of the National Roads Association (Victoria branch) and is lighted bv compressed acetylene of a capacity that will need renewing not more frequently than quarterly. It has been installed without cost to tho municipality or the public, and will be maintained by moans of a motor fuel, an advertisement of which appears on tlie pedestal.

The Mordialloc beacon is the finst rif its kind evected in any part of the Coinmnnwealth, but similar lighthouses r>ro to bo installed on many other roacls in the State and also in all cities throughout Australia. These beacons nre in use in .America and elsewhere. Four complete installations have been imported, but it,is the intention of tlio company handling them to have all others needed—hundreds, perhaps thousands—manufactured in AustraliaThe lighthouse was formally lighted by tho Minister of Public Works (Mr Goudie) who, referring to the enormous increase in motor vehicles, said triat in view of the greater speed attained by road traffic, it had become necessary to have some safeguards 011 the roads indicating the places which were dangerous. The president of the Royal AutoClub of Victoria (Mr Brunei Kay) welcomed tho innovation, and expressed the opinion that with others it would render the passage of the growing volume of motor traffic safer. He also said that there was a pressing need that these road signs, and all others, should bo better protected from street urchins and quasi-sportsmen, who too frequently mad© th-ese signs a target in the absence of better game.

A correspondent writes: —Tho follow'inc. figures tiro fictitious y but tho f&cts axe vouched for. Som© time after having, become the purchaser of a popular make of car the owner went into the Post Office Savings Bank for the purpose of making a withdrawal from ms account. While trying to mate up his mind as to the exact amount necessary to withdraw, ho absent-mindedly filled in the space for "No. of Account.' Although he is quite familiar with the number of his account, 444,123, he found when- he presented his clip to tore clerk that he had written 3663, the number of his carl