Motor

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 141, 17 June 1936, Page 12

Motor

PARKING ON BENDS Not tho least of the hazards of the road is the possibility of rounding an acute bend in a narrow road to find that somo thoughtless motorist has stoppod, or parked a car right in the path of oncoming traffic. This is done hundreds of times every week-end, and it is possibly the commonest error of the new motorist. It is perfectly true that motorists should bo prepared to find an ob-

By “Radiator."

struction on arriving at a curve in the road, and should moderate their speed accordingly. Older drivers limit their speed figure, which will enable them to pull up in tho distance in which they have an uninterrupted view of the road. Many of the most inexplicable hcad-ou collisions aro undoubtedly duo to tho driver finding it necessary to swing wido to avoid an unexpected obstruction, which observanco of this rule would have prevented.

The regulation limiting the permissible distance from a bend at which cars may be parked should be enforced much more rigidly. AUTOMOBILE ABLUTIONS Cleaning a car, a task shunned by the majority of owners, can bo greatly simplified if a sponge is used, instead of a cloth, for washing down. Although it costs several shillings, a fair-sized sponge of good quality is a worth-while investment for tho owner who wants to keep his car’s finish in showroom condition. When about to wash tho car, the owner should soak the sponge thoroughly in cold, clear water, aud mako sure, before applying it to any part of tho car, that there is no greaso or oil on the vehicle, or this will rapidly spoil the sponge. A gentle stream of water should be, used in conjunction with tho sponge, which .requires to bo kept thoroughly wet. It will bo found that tho whole car can bo washed much more rapidly by this means, and that there is no dirt or grit left on tho paintwork

1 to cause scratches when tho leather is being used. Aftor being used, the . sponge should bo washed, squeezed fairly dry, and then left on a shelf out of tho sun. If treated well, and not caught against projections on tho car and torn, tho sponge should last for a considerable time. HIGH PERFORMANCE CAES L j TRADITIONAL BRITISH ECONOMY 1 With the reorganisation of the Morris * plants in .1934, when specialised production was introduced, the stage was set for some great new development. Those : “in the know” had hinted at‘a sweep- ■ ing advance in manufacturing policy. , Indeed, the remarkable success of the ) Morris Family Saloon, tho first model i to bo built by the new method, seemed 1 to foreshadow significant changes in the r larger Morris cars. Now, tho new Mor- ) ris models have arrived in Now Zeat land, and it is not too much to say that i thoy go beyond even theuuost optimistic ) predictions. The lack-of-power bogey > formerly associated with British cars is : finally exploded, for tho now Morris range includes high-power cars' capable ' of effortless speed and flexible top-gear driving. Tho new Morris "Sixes” arg of two types —IS h.p. and ”5 h.p. Their high power-to-weight ratio provides that lively acceleration and easily maintained high speed which are tho champagne of modern motoring enjoyment. A , glance at the body lines reveals tasteful use of modern streamlining without going to extremes. Tho lines “flow” smoothly from bumper to bumper. And yet, though the centre of gravity is low, there is no sacrifice of headroom. Narrow body pillars and sloped windscreen provide unrestricted vision—so important to 'safe driving. Engine refinements ineludo combined carburetter-silencer and fumo consumer, and equipoise rubber engine mountings. Tho efficient Morris hydraulic braking system has been improved by sealing it against the ingress of water. Equipment is complete in every detail and includes an interesting innovation—a system of built-in, hydraulic jacks, permanently fixed to the axles and operated from the front seat. Thus one of the old bugbears of motoring—changing of tyres—is stripped of most of its old discomfort. In tho field of medium-sized cars tho Morris “Twelve” is a brilliant newcomer. It “handles* ’ delightfully, sitting down on tho road with commendable tenacity. 50-55 m.p.h. cruising is silent and effortless, and ordinary hills are taken in its stride without slackening pace. This car has the modern streamlined appearance. Luggage is ac- ; oommodated inside the downswept tail and easily accessible by lifting the rear cushion. Pressed steel wheels, full low-pressure tyres, improved hydraulic j brakes, hydraulic shock absorbers, arc features. As in tho * * Sixes, ” the Morris “Twelve” is fitted with a permanent, built-in jacking system. Last, but not least, comes tho Morris Family Saloon, tho remarkable little car which, on the highways and byways of Africa, Australia and India, as well as Now Zealand, has proved its .capacity to do things in a big way. .So great has been the demand for this model that the Morris factories turned out no less than 100,000 cars in 50 working weeks—a result far ahead of anything previously achieved in the British motor industry.

LEAKING OIL. The following advice will prove of value to those troubled by oil leaking from the rocker box lids of their cars. This sometimes happens when the packings appear to be in good condition and is then very puzzling. In the first place try the cllect of piuching up the spring clips on the rocker box lids a little with a pair of pliers, so as to cause them to grip the rocker shaft more tightly and thus draw the lids into closer contact with the rocker boxes. Furthermore, when fitting the lids, a few light taps with a hammer will ensure that they make a good oil seal. The raised edges oi the rocker box lids should be checked for fouling the rocker box, as this would prevent the lids seating correctly. The hard spots can bo removed with a smooth file. If the cork washers have become hard and brittle, it is advisable to change them, arid when fitting new washers use the jointing compound sparingly. A too liberal use of the compound will have the tendency to harden the washers and destroy their sealing qualities.