MOTORING & MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 16

MOTORING & MOTORISTS

[By RADIATOR.]

LIGHTING-UP TIMES. To-day £4l Sunday - - - Monday Tuesday ... - - - Wednesday ... £7? Thursday ~ £^£ Friday - - 7.47 FIXTURE. December 9.—0.M.C. Monthly Meeting. HINTS AND TIPS. . —Eliminating Body Scratches.— Scratches on a finely-polished body can bo eliminated by applying several coats of thin shellac until the scratch has been completely filled. When the last coat has dried it is nibbed with crocus cloth and a little olive oil, just enough to rub out the ridges where the new and old coats join. After no signs remain of where the two’coats join, a rub down with a good body polish will render the touch-up inconspicuous, and restore the surface to its original appearance. —Economy in Fire Extinguishers.— If the car is insured against fire, the addition of the. fire extinguisher will reduce the premium on the insurance almost enough to pay for the extinguisher, .sometimes during tho first year. —Keep Battery Upright.— Always keep the battery in a_ vertical position in taking it out or replacing it in the car. Sediment may be in the bottom of the jars, and tipping them may causa it to get between the plates and short-circuit them. AT RANDOM. Speedometer cable should be greased or oiled at least twice a season. When dry it will bind at bend and break or cause a clicking noise. Use. a light graphite grease or heavy transmission oil, A sensitive foot accelerator is a gas waster, and gas can be saved by attaching a stronger accelerator spring. Too much lubrication of springs produces. excessive bouncing, which in time flattens the loaves and allows the frame to bump tho axle. The continued use of low gear or racing the engine on low gear will causo overheating. IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Some interesting information and facts relative to the activity of the Southern Californian Motor Club is contained in a letter to Mr P. Barling, of this city, from Mr Ernest M'Gafi'ev, of California. The writer states that visitors and tourists from New Zealand who are travelling in Southern California should by all means avail them selves of ihe aids and courtesies afforded bv the Automobile Club of Southern California. These services will be given them without cost, and it is a pleasure to the club to be of assistance to overseas travellers. There are twentytwo branch offices in the southern counties of California, besides the homo offices in ],os Angeles. Upwards of 500 employees comprise the staffs of officials and clerks at these offices, and full and accurate information is given all inquirers as to roads, routes, hotels, inns, garages, automobile camping places, shooting and flailing districts, historic and scenic, attractions, cities, towns, and all data which they may wish to avail themselves of. Maps of tho various counties will be furnished without cost to visitors, and comfortable rest rooms me found at all of the offices for the accommodation of travellers. The many thousands of miles of highways which intersect the southern counties have been thoroughly and systematically signposted by the club. These signs include mileage and distance signs, warning signs as to dangerous curves, grades, and bridges, speed limit signs, signs of the proximity of schools and hospitals, and many other signalling directions. Close to 85,000 signs have been erected by this department of tho club, and tho value of tho system to the motoring public is vast and universal. These signs are not confined to the paved highways alone, but are placed on the mountain roods and tho desert roads, on the remote mountain highways, .and all over the southern counties, wherever a motor car can possibly _ travel. _ In addition to the comprehensive signing _of all tho roadways of Southern California, the club has placed many signs in the northern portion of the State, in adjoining States, and even halfway across tho United States on two great transcontinental lines of travel.

With a membership of upwards of 90,000 members, the club is an organisation which is kept active in looking* after the interest of these members. Its free services to each member include many branches of aid and assistance. The insurance department furnishes automobile insurance to tho members at a lower figure than they could possibly obtain elsewhere, a/nd saves them close to seventy thousand pounds annually in actual cash. Tho legal department gives tho members free legal advice and legal aid, which also saves tho members more than fifty thousand pounds each year. Tho automobile shipping department, tho theft bureau, which has recovered in tho past two years stolen cars amounting in value to over ono hundred and forty-eight thousand pounds, the touring information bureau, which distributes every year millions of maps free to members and the travelling public, the official hotel and garage department, and the tow-car service are other important branches. Tho club is a strictly non-profit concern, and does not take part hi either social or political affairs. _ It Is purely business in all of its multifarious activities. In th|o twonty-ono jycars of its existence it has grown from a more handful of men to its present size, and it is to tho loyalty and enthusiasm of its membership that it owes its power for good in (lie southern counties.

Tho club’s emblem bears the motto “Good Roads." How well _it has lived up to this principle, tho history of., the highways in California, and particularly Southern California, will attest. In ail of ttho Road Bond campaigns of the State, and in all of the Road Bond campaigns of tho southern counties, the club has been to the fore with men, money, and material, working vigorously for tho cause of better highways. Tho Automobile Club of Southern California is anxious to establish and mamtain the most cordial friendly relations possible with tho motorists and travellers from other countries. Its members have been treated with the utmost courtesy in various parts of the British Empire, and tho organisation is desirous of extending I reciprocal assistance at all times and under all conditions. It is hoped that Now Zealand visitors will give the chib the opportunity of serving them while they are in Southern California. CLUB NEWS. The Otago Motor Club is maintaining its progressive policy of sign posting. Mr A. C. M'Georgc, who is gratuitously doing the work for the club, has recently elected forty color route signs from Gore to below Balclutha, and five direction and danger signs within tho same distance. A sign has been erected at tho corner of the Pukorau road, where the recent fatality occurred. Similar notices have been posted at corners in Waipahi township. , , The children's outing for the local orphanages will bo held this summer at Wingatui, on Saturday, February 21, provided the ground can be obtained on that date. The committee has also in view the possibility of arranging an afternoon’s outing with the old people of the various homes around the city, and this jyill also ; M attended to alter, the holidays.

Brief accounts of holiday trips, roads, and places of interest are invited for this column.

THE 1924 OLYMPIA SHOW. IMPRESSIONS OF A NEW ZEALANDER. [Written by T. Clarkson, for the Star.'] The eighteenth annual International Motor Show was opened at the Olympia, Kensington, on October 17, and is claimed to be tho finest on record. Not having attended any in the past, I cannot make comparisons, but this year’s certainly provided a brilliant spectacle. There are close on 600 exhibitors, including those displaying accessories on an upper story,' and over 1,000 cars arc on exhibition. When it is remembered that each one of these thousand cars has been diligently polished to present its utmost lustre, that each one of the hundreds of stands has its own scheme of electric lights, that tho building as a whole is gorgeously illuminated, will bo understood how beauti- ■ ful and spectacular is the final result. For sheer, .unadulterated glitter, it, is difficult to conceive of anything finer. The feature which chiefly took my attention was the large proportion of elaborate and high-priced cars. There are vehicles to suit all pockets, fronp £9O upwards, but it seemed to me, passing along the aisles, that cars ranging in prices from £I,OOO up were distinctly in the majority, and there were - scores at prices in the vicinity of £2,000. Just one more instance of the amazing wealth in England, for these exhibits would not be on show were there not a reasonable, chance of trade resulting. As a matter of fact, it was announced that on the day before the show opened to the public, during tho private view fo agents, no less than £30,000,000 of trade was done by exhibitors. Tho Morris Motor Company claimed to have disposed of 40,000 cars, valued at £B,COO,GCO, and the Vulcan Company announced the sale of 1,500 vehicles, valued at £600,000. There were no striking mechanical developments, but right along the lino there were noticeable definite improvements in th direction of increased protection from the weather and the provision of additional accessories as part of standard equipment. Coupes arc increasingly popular, and arc obtainable in much cheaper models than was formerly the case. At lower prices still the manufacturer in many cases supplies for an open touring car movable glass side screens, that open and shut with the door, in place of the curtains that were formerly fitted. Balloon tyres are fitted as standard on most cars, and the four-wheeled brake system lias gained ninny fresh adherents. The principal American cars are represented. but do not play a' conspicuous part, in tho Exhibition. The touring models, only moderately finished, which ar° such a conspicuous feature in colonial life, seem somewhat out of place amongst the hundreds of natty-lnoking British runabouts, whilst the higher grades arc quite eclipsed by such superb specimens ns Rolls Boyce and Lanchester and Co. French, Italian, and Belgian manufacturers were represented by some exquisite models. The moat notable advance is seen iu coach work, and famous builders seem to vie with each other in producing something more brilliant than competitors. Manv color schemes are introduced, and I noticed one in which the body was finished in a small black and white check outturn. Another had tho effect of being built of mahogany ; it was superb staining over steel. Aluminium is largely used in (he body linings, and, in fact, wherever possible'this metal is introduced on the body dashboard and chassis. A promising idea' is the provision of pneumatic interiors for seats and upholstery. Prices ranged from £9O to £3,000. The higher figure, of course, represents the amount asked for a Rolls Royce; the smaller is for a Carden. This latter, how ever, can scarcely he treated ns a successful effort to bring a passenger car within the reach of tho average man who wants one, hut cannot afford £ICO. The little Carden may probably be capable of good work, hot, in my view, an undue amount of mechanical knowledge would be needed by the driver, as the working parts are difficult of access. To purchase a sarisfactory four-seater car, it is not possible to no much below the Morris Cowley, at £175. True, the American Chevrolet is quoted at £l6O, but the increased tax on its high-powered engine would have to be reckoned as an off set. Scores of handy touring four-seater cars range from £2OO to £250, and coupes from £275 upwards. T had almost forgotten to mention that the Austin Company is showing a smart little runabout (7 h.p.), quite reliable, at £l5O.

But I saw no evidence of any design | likely to appeal to the special requirements i of the colonial trade. Fairly well secure in his own market, the British manufacturer shows no sign of any intention to build for Australia and New Zealand. I saw nothing at Oljhupia likely In meet, the needs of the average farmer, _ the average stock dealer, the average business man of New Zealand. So presumably wo shall continue to import chiefly foreign oars, unless perchance our dealers can see their way to order tho superb chaoses turned out by (lie English engineers, and have the bodies made locally. SIX DAYS’'TOUR. A comprehensive motor tour of the Southern Lakes and Central Otago has been mapped out by the Service Association of New Zealand. The tour occupies six' days, and is personally con ducted by Mr John Anderson (Cromwell). All places of beauty and interest are included in the tour, and only on ono oc easion is a stretch of thirteen miles Covered twice. The tour commences every -Sunday morning, and finishes on tho following Friday evening. The minimum number of tourists for each trip must bo not less than ten. The cost of the tour is £l2 10s per person, which price includes everything except such extras as afternoon and morn ing teas. Full particulars can bo obtained from Stedmaii’s Garage, (be Tourist Department, or Thomas Cook. A BIT THICK. Eero is a bit of American satire aimed at the London fog "Are your London fogs so very bad?’’ inquired the tourist. “ Pretty thick,” said tho Englishman. “ How do the vehicles get about?” “Oh. the first one through leaves a tunnel. LARNACH’S CASTLE ROAD IMPASSABLE. It has been reported that several motorists have lately met with trouble on the Peninsula road leading past Larttach’s Castle to Broad Bay, and it is as well to know that this road is impassable for motors. Three or four cars nave had to bo towed out, as the road develops into a clay and grass track on a steep face, and it is then found impossible to back up. To obviate any further trouble Mr M'George (chairman of the Roads and Signs Committee of tho Motor Club) has had a sign erected at the Castle gate warning motorists against proceeding any further along the road. MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN. The Dtp go Motor Club membership campaign will be started before the holidays so as to give members every opportunity of advising touring motorists of the benefit to be derived from membership. Q.M.C. monograms will be distributed to all members, to bo placed on tho wind shield as a distinguishing mark, and it is also hoped to a complete list of local registrations so as to identify non-mem-bers, and if each member will do his bit by nominating at least one new motorist the club will soon be as large in numbers as the Canterbury Automobile Association, and also increase its activities and con-' §oduent benefits to motorists.