Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

PRESENTS FOR THE CAR

WHAT TO GIVE THIS CHRISTMAS

No matter where one turns at the present moment, one is confronted with signs, such as “Give him ties this Christmas,” “Give Books for the Holidays,” “Say a Merry Christmas with Blowers,” and a host of similar suggestions, which invite one to spend freely for the festive season. Since this page is devoted to motoring, perhaps the suggestion “Give Motors this Christmas,” should be made. However, since “times are hard and getting harder,” and as motors are a hit bulky to deliver by post or by hand, the suggestion may be amended to “Give accessories for the car.”

■ Every motorist likes to get little gadgets for his car, and is always pleased to receive something new. There are dozens of accessories that can be given, some of them being most reasonable iu price. Mascots to hang in the back window are very popular, and can be bought quite cheaply. Radiator mascots are more expensive, but are always appreciated. Ash trays of all descriptions may be purchased anywhere—some of the designs are more than novel. For those who like flowers in the car, a good present is a vase, which is sold with the necessary fittings. Clocks and luggage containers are also acceptable. A tire pressure gauge is a gift which I is certain to please. A motor meter is as useful a thing as one could suggest, as also is a cushion for the car, while a tin of one’s favourite car polisher will be accepted with genuine enthusiasm.

There are dozens of little articles that could be enumerated, but space will not permit of such a course. The above suggestions at least give an idea of what can be given to the owner of a car at Christmas. Such gifts will be out of the ordinary, and are sure to Ibe appreciated. <Even a two-gallon tin to carry some spare petrol in will not be refused by anyone. These tins are remarkably cheap, and one of them carried on a car has often been the means of a driver being able to carry on to the nearest filling station. (Continued on Page 19.)

A MOBILE HOME GIANT FRENCH CARAVAN. Not many men undertake to build their own motor caravans. But M. GuiUemin, a citizen of Monaco, claims to be the author of his travelling home, and is proud of it. The following description appears in a recent issue of the “Autocar”To obtain the required accommodation, it was necessary to lengthen the chassis considerably, ■which alteration was effected .by sawing through the. frame members and " inserting pieces that gave a wheel-base of 18ft 4in. The body was then built round this lengthened chassis; forward, it extends beyond the radiator, for the front compartment constitutes an engine room and kitchen. As in motor boat practice, a housing has been built around the engine and the top of this forms the kitchen table. Passing rearwards a di ing room 7ft high is entered; beyond this is a lavatory, then the bedroom with two beds placed longitudinally,, with lockers below them and wardrobes at the foot. The entire body is built of wood, With plywood panels, and the weight, with two persons on board, is four tons.’ It is mounted on pneumatic tyres and has a. maximum speed of 25 m.p.h; its total length is 29ft. 6in. The owner of this mobile home, who recently went from. Monaco to Paris Plage, on the Channel coast, states that In the villages and small towns of France the authorities are inclined to be suspicious. The tax collector is convinced that this is a travelling show and that a special tax ought to.be paid by each person visiting it The village gamekeeper is certain that the caravan Ought to be provided, with some special kind of permit delivered by some high authority, and is nonplussed on discovering that because the chassis is more than nine years old only half taxes are paid in France, . In the big cities of France the powers that be are very tolerant ... The caravan spent three night in a Paris street without the police offering any objection-. A POPULAR MISTAKE FIGURES SHOW SIDE-CARS TWICE AS SAFE AS CARS. Accidents statistics are rather of a ■ !"hit-and-miss” character, but even so, they are at times revealing. The man In the street, if asked, which type of motor vehicle was involved in most accidents, would select the motor-cycle, but figures recently published in “The Times” (London) show exactly the reverse. According to Commander F. P. Armstrong, Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club, the proportion of fatal accidents in Great Britain to vehicles registered was 1 to 1201 in the case of motor-cycle combinations, and 1 to 579 in the case of cars. The respective figures with non-fatal accidents were Ito 38 and Ito 21. On the figures under review it was revealed that the side-car outfit was twice as safe as a car.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19281221.2.135.9

Bibliographic details

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 75, 21 December 1928, Page 18

Word Count
828

PRESENTS FOR THE CAR Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 75, 21 December 1928, Page 18

PRESENTS FOR THE CAR Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 75, 21 December 1928, Page 18