Motor

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 65, 18 March 1936, Page 13

Motor

CARS, CARS AlfD STILL MORE CARS The British motor industry goes from strength to strength. The demand for nctv cars has taxed the manufacturers’ resources to the limit, and motor works throughout the country arc being enlarged to meet the situation. To increase production from 130 to 300 cars per day is the purpose of important extensions planned at the Standard car factory near Coventry. Interesting details have now been divulged by Captain J. 1\ Black, managing director of the Standard Motor Co. Ltd.

The sum of £310,000 has been allocated for tho various development schemes, which will enlarge the productive area of the factory from 530,U00 square feet to 1,000,000 square feet, and increase the maximum output .of 1300 cars per week. The constructional work will take from 10 to Id months to complete, and will give employment to a large number of men. Already orders amounting to £150,000 have been placed with machining tool manufacturers. The principal extensions will be as follow: New assembly track for 130 cars per day, new machine shop, new testing and jinishing shops, new blocks of offices, new service depot on worksite, adjoining new Londou-Birming-ham trunk road under construction, new canteen to accommodate 1300 men. Captain Black summed up the position thus: "These plans, apart from the primary purpose of increasing our output, will co-ordinate production, sales and service under a centralised administration.'' M.G.’s WIN AGAIN. The majority of cups offered in the rcccut Loudon-tlloucesler reliability trial, organised by, the North-West London Motor Club, were carried oil by .M.G. drivers. Tho Gloucester Cup, for the best performance in the trial, was won by K. A. Macdcrmid, with a« M.G. Magncttc. An M.G. Midget, driven by A. 11. Langley, won etas; •'A”'(SSO c.c.) and tho President’,; Trophy. In Class "B'.' (1500 c.c.), It. A. Macdcrmid put up the best performance, with J. A. linstock, also in an M.G. Magnetic, runner-up. Tho team prize was won by the "Three Musketeers’’ M.G. Maguetto team, the drivers being It. A. Macdcrmid, J. A. Bas Lock and A. B. Langley. Tho Novices’ Cup went to (J. Poppb, who entered with an M.G. Midget. Of tho eight iirst-class awards, three were gained by M.G. drivers, and in the second and third classes, M.G. cars obtained eight and four awards respectively. BY THE WAYSIDE Most motorists have had tho experience, after a lung run on a hot day, of difficulty in getting their cars to start again. This is usually due to petrol in the feed lines or the carburetter getting so hot that it boils and forms tittle vapour locks. Carburetters are not sup-

By "Radiator. "

posed to work like coJleo percolators. Sometimes it happens that the pressuro of the vapour iu tho float chamber will bo sufficient to force the petrol into the drain pipe. This mcaus that when an attempt is mtjdc to restart the car there is no fuel left in the float chamber. When celluloid sido curtains lose

vj. <S> <*> some of their transparency through rubbing and scratching an application of ordinary metal polish will usually help to restore them. If they become very discoloured, however, a soft rag soaked in warm vinegar should be rubbed over them. Another suggestion is to dissolve two ounces of flexible collodion in a mixture of two ounces of methylated spirits, two ounces of acetone, and two ounces of amyl acetate, and rub over the celluloid.

A loug-overdue mechanical device —an automatic “hill-holder ” —will make its appearance on the 193 G models of one American motor company. By proventing a car from rolling backward down a hill this device removes all terrors from starting on steep hills and trying to steer, release the handbrake, and operate the clutch and accelerator all at the one time. With these cars the driver will bo üble to use his right foot on tho accelerator and the device will hold the car steady until the clutch is released. <s> ❖ <S> <s>

Motor owners in California will, from the commencement of this year, bo subject to arrest if they fail within JO days in giving notice of change of address. The addresses of owners arc shown on their ownership certilicates. Breach of the legal provision entails a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, or a fine of up to 500 dollars, or both. <*> VS> <S> 'S’ With battery aud coil ignition, the only, moving parts are the contact breaker and distributor. Both these require very little lubrication, but it is important that the bearing beiow the distributor housing should be kept well lubricated. The contact-breaker points in the distributor must be kept clean and entirely free from oil. Two or three drops of oil at, tho i'ulcrumpiu of the contact-breaker and also ou the spiudlc of the distributor, every 1000 miles or so, is all that is required. <S> <t> <S> Jn uo circumstances should chro-mium-plated parts be cleaned with an abrasive polish. If tho car is cleaned aud looked after regularly, rubbing such parts with a damp rag would bo sufficient to remove all traces of travel stains, and a final polish with a soft; cloth will restore its pristine appearance. <s> <£> > Iu 1019, 10.3 per cent, of all cars produced iu America were closed This figure increased to 51 per cent, in .1905, and has sinee continually increased. In J 927 the figure was 51.9 per cent., 1930 90.1 per cent., and in 1931 95.8 per cent.