Auto Gossip

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 9

Auto Gossip

by

A.J.P.

Charged More stories of electricallycharged motorists come from Australia, where the “Sydnev Morning Herald" reports thousands of Sydney motorists have received shocks from static electricity caused by dry weather. Professor E. P. George, professor of physics at the University of New South Wales, says static electricity is built up by the movement of the car, and the lack of moisture in the air makes it impossible for it to be earthed. The driver steps out of the vehicle and acts as a conductor, earthing the electricity and getting a shock in the process. Nylon or nylon-mix suits make the shock worse. The professor said the shock could be harmful to someone with a weak heart. Reply The professor’s comments brought a reply from a correspondent, who said the car was usually earthing and not vice versa. He said the solution was to take hold of the metal door handle when sliding out of the car. Opera Glass An “executive limousine” conversion of the Lincoln Continental has been developed by a Chicago coach-build-ing firm. It will carry eight passengers in luxury, but with a wheelbase of about 14ft and a length of more than 20ft it is 34in longer than the normal Lincoln. The makers say an “opera window” set in the simulated black leather top “. . . gives the exterior - - • a distinctive look of formal elegance.” From photographs, it also takes up a fraction of the possible window space, and this inevitably bad rear vision, one would think, must combine with the bus-like dimensions to make the car a nightmare to manoeuvre. It does not sound like progress—or commonsense design.

Performance Vanden Plas has announced performance figures for the new Rolls Royce-engined Princess. Top speed is quoted as 112 m.p.h., and cruising speed as 80 to 100 m.p.h. The touring fuel consumption, based on 70 m.g.h. cruising less five per cent for acceleration and hills, is 17 j m.p.g. The acceleration figures are 0 to 30, 4.ssec: 0 to 50, 9.3 sec: 0 to 60, 12.8 sec; and 0 to 80, 24.4. sec. The standing quarter mile takes 19sec. Car Thieves There is a fine distinction between stealing a car and converting one, but ignoring this distinction, which has been attacked many times; it behoves the authorities to be very firm indeed with persons who take, steal, convert or appropriate cars. In Britain it is estimated about 5000 cars are stolen each week, and we want no similar situation to develop here, or at least to devolop any further than it already has. More than a few of the cars converted in New Zealand are not recovered. As one police officer said to me; “There are a lot of deep gullies, bush-covered hillsides and deep waters around this country.” This deliberate destruction of stolen cars should be treated most severely. New Citroen Production of an NSUCitroen powered by a rotary piston (Wankel) engine is expected to start in 1967 or 1968, overseas sources report. Quote of the Week “An interesting sign appears at an Illinois railway crossing. It reads: "The average time it takes a train to pass this crossing is 14 seconds —whether your car is on it or not.’ ” —From “Road Safety,” the journal of the New Zealand Road Safety Council.