MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 22952, 9 May 1938, Page 17

MOTORING AND MOTORISTS

by "Radiator”

LIGHTING-UP TIMES To-dav 5.25 Tuesday 5-24 Wednesday 5.22 Thursday 5.21 Friday 5-19 Saturday 5.18 Sunday 5.17 MOTORIST SUES PEDESTRIAN An important and far-reaching legal decision was recently given in England as the outcome of an action by a motorist against a pedestrian who was held responsible for an accident caused through her careless walking. The motorist stated that a woman ran from a house in front of his car. He endeavoured to avoid her, but could not. The car hit a bank at the roadside, the driver suffering sprains, bruises, and shock. Suing the pedestrian, he was awarded £IOO damages. This highly important judgment emphasises strikingly the responsibility of pedestrians as road users. It also draws attention to the remedy available to motorists who are involved in an accident as the result of carelessness of pedestrians. For too long have motor drivers had to bear the brunt of accidents caused by people who walk carelessly across streets and highways. The English award establishes a precedent, and should serve to bring home to pedestrians the fact that they as well as motorists have their responsibility as road users. TYRE INFLATION Recent research has revealed that when a motor car or truck is driven with its tyres under-inflated by 10 per cent, the tyre wear increases by 13 per cent. Thus, if tyres that should be run at 301 b pressure are run at 271 b the tyres • will show as much wear after travelling 870 miles as they would after running 1,000 miles at the correct inflation pressure. From this it. will be seen that tyre economy and inflation are closely allied, says the ‘ Dunlop Bulletin.’ . NEW BRAKE SHOE Many a mechanic, when refacing a brake shoe, must have thought to himself: “Surely all these rivets are unnecessary wlien the fabric is being tightly pressed against the shoe by the brake drum, and the only tendency is for the facing to turn with the drum.” The reasoning is sound, for the friction between the shoe and the.facing is little if any less than that between the facing and the drum. Possibly a similar thought, together with an appreciation of the advantages resulting from the elimination of rivets, prompted an English manufacturer of brakes in the development of its new rivetless facing. In this case there is a slotted steel strip ph to which the fabric is woven, the whole being compressed, under heat, to form a unit. Refacing a shoe involves simply the attachment of the steel strip to the shoe by four small bolts. The scheme permits all the fabric to be worn away before rcfacing and much simplifies this operation. THE NEW HUDSON SIX The new Hudson Six for 1938 is mounted on a 122 in wheelbase chassis. For this season the car is made in distinctive new style, and is bigger and roomier. In addition to two inches rnoje leg room in the rear compartment, the entire interior of the car has been redesigned and made generally more luxurious. The front compartment has a new dash arrangement which permits greater vision from the driver’s seat, and the entire trim and upholstery have a two-tone effect. Like the other cars in the Hudson line for 1938, the Hudson Six is optionally equipped ■ with the latest development of the selective automatic shift transmission. For 1938 the selective transmission is made with valuable improvements which make it even more automatic in its action. For example, if upon shifting, an abutment of gears exists, the owner is automatically notified of that fact by the return of the selector lever, automatically to neutral. * Another important development is in the automatic clutch circuit breaker switch, which causes "ear shifting to take place at exactly the proper instant in relationship with clutch action. With the new development of the transmission the driver may creep forward or backward with ease making the" car easy to park and give smooth starting under all conditions.

The engine used develops 101 horsepower at 4,000 r.p.m. with 6.25 to 1 compression ratio. Among the improvements are heavier and stronger connecting rods, giving greater smoothness and life to the engine, and also a newly-designed vibration darapner, which also contributes materially to smoothness and quietness. The ignition system has been entirely re-designed, making it splash-proof and rain-proof, with a new coil which permits satisfactory operation even after the spark plugs’ gap reaches as high as .040 in. This development materially lengthens spark plug life.

A new exhaust system i. now fitted giving a straight-through type of muffler containing toning chambers. The adoption or this muffler has eliminated any tendency to produce drumming and vibration in the body interiors as a result of exhaust. Another benefit from the new muffler is the elimination of all tendency for heat transfer to the front compartment in hot weather. The clutch has been enlarged and now employs a large 12-spring pressure plate instead of the nine-spring design used in 1937. The vibration neutralising springs have also been made heavier and the friction discs are cupped to provide additional friction. The hill-hold, which was offered as optional eouipment for 1937. is continued. This is an hydraulic device which prevents the backing of the car when stopping on a hill. Both front and rear suspension systems have been improved. At the. front, the riding qualities have been made better by a new forged steel

torque arm used in connection with radial safety control, which is a distinctive feature. The front end stabiliser has also been improved by increasing its leverage. A new location of the wheel rims brings them onequarter inch closer to the bolt mounting plan, thus reducing the overhand and materially strengthening the structure.

The front compartment has been entirely redesigned, moving the dash two inches aheack which materially aids the vision from the driver's seat. There is an entirely new instrument panel of balanced design, with the speedometer straight before the eyes of the driver, balanced by a clock, when used, on the door of the glove box ou the opposite side of the instrument panel. The interior is upholstered in modern Chesterfield fabric, the new heavy flat woollen, in two tones, with velvet weave carpeting blending in the colour scheme. Satin finish chromium trim on the door panels, at the front seat, windows, arm rests, and instrument panel _ give a modernistic touch suggestive or custom luxury, “OUR ABSURD MOTOR CARS" To the scientist the modern car is a crude utensil with an efficiency pt only about 10 per cent. Its engine is inherently unsuited to its job, having no starting torque; we run it fast to gain efficiency and then lose power in gearing it down; we raise the compression to increase the speed of flame travel!, then use special fuel mixtures to slow it down again; we experiment with superchargers and other ideas to increase the weight of mixture drawn into the engine and then fit hot-spot manifolds to reduce it —thus Professor A. M. Low in his talk to the Institute of the Motor Trade at the Holborn Restaurant (London) recently. He forecast that the outstanding developments in car design would be in comfort ,and acceleration; present springing systems are mostly crude and inefficient, but the average American car is better in this respect than the average English' product. He poured scorn on those who confuse hard springing with road-holding and those who find a virtue in difficult gear changes. Professor Low thinks that the invention of a really effective electric storage battery will kill the petrol car, and the steam car has great possibihties which h&ve been sadly neglected. He forecast the development of the car-cum-aeroplane as a popular vehicle of the future. QUEER TROUBLES ENGINEERS MYSTIFIED Two good stories of queer troubles that bothered motor engineers were recently related. One was of a new engine that would run for two or three revolutions, stop, and could then be turned by hand for a round half an hour, when it would repeat the procedure and then again stop. This defied all efforts to cure until it was discovered that a camshaft wheel had an odd number of teeth. In consequence, about once every 30 minutes the timing came into phase and the engine would run for a brief interval before another period of instartgbility. In the other case, gear bother was experienced by a manufacturer, who ordered and had built a large number of rear axles in which the pinion was mounted on the wrong side of the crown wheel. In consequence the first car assembled Was found to have ome speed forward and four speeds backwards. and the only way of countering this was to change all the camshafts and run the engines backwards to suit. That was long before the war, but immediately after it a certain firm in the Midlands changed their dynarao-cum-fan drive. Summer was setting in and they were troubled with violent boiling. This was thought to be due to inadequate radiator size, and it was quite a long time before someone noticed that the revised dynamo drive had resulted in the fan being driven the wrong way round. GREAT MOTORING ADVENTURE The world’s greatest motoring adventure, in terms of time and overcoming almost incredible difficulties, has been just concluded successfully by three Brazilian motorists, who have, taken nine and three-quarter years to drive from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to New York. , . In April, 1928, Commander Oliveira, with an observer and mechanic, set out from Rio aboard two Model “ T ” Fords, with the object of mapping a road route through practically unexplored sections of the Pan-American highway, which is being gradually constructed from Buenos Aires (Argentina) to New York, a distance of approximately 12,000 miles. Although mnnv thousands of miles of this projected intercontinental highway consists of fair to good roads, there still remain 3,450 miles of passable tracks, used only by oxen-drawn vehicles, 518 miles under construction, and 2,276 miles yet to be made. It was those yet-to-be-built roads that provided Oliveira’s party with years of adventure. Picks, axes, and dynamite had to he used frequently to cut a track over mountains and through jungles, where the overhead growth was so dense that the rays of the tropical sun could not penetrate. The expedition crossed the Andes Range tour times and experienced every climate from perpetual mountain snows to steaming jungles at sea level. All told, 300 hridgeless rivers had to be crossed, sometimes by felling trees over which they could inch their cars along with ropes. At other crossings, they sealed the tanks, etc., and with the assistance of natives, dragged the partially dismantled machines across to the farther bank, there to reassemble them and push on. Often the party was reduced to using a mixture of kerosene and alcohol in place of petrol, and lard for lubricating the model “ T’s.” Sometimes they stuffed the tyres with grass and weeds until they could effect repairs. Fiftysix tyre* covers and three times as many tubes were used during the trip. The route followed by the trail-blaz-ers was from Rio down to Buenos

Aires, then up through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and the matted jungles of Central America to Mexico.

Upon arriving at New York, 32 maps and 500 pages of notes and observation and a mass of photos taken during their extraordinary 16,182 miles journey, were handed to the Pan-American Highway Council. Thus has another stage been taken towards the realisation of the greatest road project of the American countries, an intercontinental highway that will link up the 15 nations and open up to motorists the wonders of the lost cities of the Pre-Inca civilisation. The three Brazilian motorists were the first persons ever to t raverse the full route of the highway, and served, says the 1 Dunlop Bulletin,’ to dramatise both the problems and promise ot the great road project which, in due time, will enable motorists travel in countries rich in historic ruins, relics of Incan and Mayan civilisation and forgotten cities of colonial Spam. BATTERY MASTER-SWITCH STANDARDISATION SUGGESTED There is a certain amount of agitation going on in the English motoring Press in favour of the standardisation of a battery master switch. Although in its way a non-essential, and as such-to be eliminated from the calculations of a manufacturer whose production annually is so the saving of even only one shilling on every car would amount to a very substantial sum, there is a very great deal to be said in favour of this fitting. Its main purpose, of course, is to allow the current to be cut off immediately when a short circuit occurs m the lamp wiring,' preventing serious damage, and perhaps a fire. It also confers other advantages, however. When working-on the electrical system, it is mu6h easier to turn a switch than to detach a battery lead, while switching off the battery every time the car is left 1 in the street would effectively foil the thief, who has not the time" to trace out wiring connections, provided, of course, that the switch is placed in some inconspicuous corner. MOTOR CYCLING FIXTURES. May 17.—Monthly meeting. May 21.—Acceleration test. May 28.—Scramble. June s.—King’s Birthday trial. Juiie 18. —Sporting trial. June 28.—Annual meeting. LOCAL ACTIVITIES The five-hour trial held on April 30, was run under somewhat trying conditions, the high wind making things unpleasant for competitors. The route followed was from the club rooms to Riccarton, Outran! Glen, Lee Stream ford, Wehenga, Lee Stream Hotel, Ontram, Mosgicl and so home. There was an entry of seventeen riders with only two retirements throughout the day. The first official check was at Lee Stream ford, where fifteen minutes rest was allowed. Most competitors were in on time here but some had lost marks on secret checks taken before this spot. A timed hill climb was run on the hill up from the ford, this being an innovation in local trials. R. H. Stewart, riding the machine on which he won the N.Z. Grand P.rix, was the fastest for this section of the trial, with A. Schofield (Ariel) second, and C. I Russell (Rudge) third. Next was an, official check at Wehenga where more than half of the entrants arrived late I through taking the wrong road further i back. An easy start was held here, | this being worked on new lines. Competitors had to park their machines on a line five yards from the start, and on the word go, walk to them and start, their time being taken when they crossed a line a further five yards away. While stopped at this point R. H. Stewart picked up a piece of roofing iron which was immediately caught by the wind and carried him for a short trip down a paddock until he let it go. The next test was held on the hill just below Traquair station, -where a coasting and braking test was held. No one lost marks here, although L. Sims (Royal Enfield) and N. Bennie fell off. Next came an observed section at the West Taieri Church. This caused trouble for some, although most riders made excellent attempts. T. Harper (Triumph) and L. Sims both fell, while R. Stewart missed one flag at the beginning. An amusing incident occurred near, Wylie’s Crossing, where a secret check was taken, G. Haggit (Royal Enfield) stopped to chat to B. Duff, who happened to be passing by, and by doing so lost a few marks. Back at the club all cheeked in fairly well on time, except L. Sims and V. Laws (Triumph), who had not been seen since Lee Stream ford. However, he eventually arrived all right. The final placings were:—R. H. Stewart (Rudge), lost 5 marks, 1; G. Sinclair (New Imperial), lost 8 marks, 2; D. Williamson (Triumph), lost 12 marks. 3; T. Healy (Rudige) and C. Russell (Rudge), lost 16 marks, 4 (equal); A. Schofield (Ariel), lost 18 marks; G. Haggit (Enfield), lost 23 marks; E. Nesbit (Triumph), lost 29 marks; N. Bennie (Rudge), lost 31 marks; F. Hyder (8.5. A.), lost 32 marks; F. M'Kinlay (Francis Barnett), lost 36 marks; Miss S. Hall i (Triumph), lost 37 marks; T. Harper | (Triumph), lost 39 marks; J. Nesbit I (Triumph), lost 43 marks; S. Garner I (New Imperial), lost 53 marks; retired, L. Sims (Enfield) and V. Laws I (Triumph). On Saturday. May 21, an ecceleration test will be run. All interested riders are asked to assemble at the club rooms at 2 p.m. on this day. TOLD AT THE WHEEL Defendant, in speeding case: “ 1 was hurrying because I was badly in need of a shave.” Bet the court trimmed him.