THE MOTORIST

Northern Advocate, 16 November 1929, Page 15

THE MOTORIST

WE ALL DO IT.

“Whatever has come over the engine this morning? It simply won’t pull. Why, usually I waltz up that hill on top and today she didn’t really like it on second. Well, here comes a downhill piece, thank goodness; anyhow, we shall get a move on here. . . . that’s a bumpy piece of road just coming; better slow down a bit .... I’ll give her a little side brake .... why, my goodness, it’s on already! Been, on all the time. ...”

You’ve done it, too, have you? Everyone does, except those exceptional people who never suffer from moments of temporary insanity. Very good, no doubt, for the makers of brake linings, and the vendors of petrol—otherwise a rotteh business. It is sound practice to form a habit of putting one’s hand on the side brake occasionally just to make sure that it really is in the “off” position.

Few motorists realise that when they apply their brakes they are really an plying their tyres—increasing their grip on the. road; that it is therefore necessary that they should all grip with equal force; and if they don’t the car anust swerve. The more- powerful flic brdkes are the more use they make ot the tyres. The moral is; have your eat balanced when,you apply your brakes In Other words see that the tyre pressures are equal in each pair of wheels.

A SILENT CAR

ELIMINATION OF KNOCKS,

At a recent meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers, U.S.A., it was predicted that travel by motor car within a few years will be as free of annoyance as floating through the air.

The main discussion brought out hat automotive engineers hope to eliminate the knocks produced by high-power fuels without reducing efficiency. Changes in design of the combustion chamber and relocation of the spark plugs, placing them nearer the exhaust valves, was advocated.

HUMAN ELEMENT. CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. CAR FAILURE NEGLIGIBLE

According to an investigation by the California committee on public safety, less than one half of one per cent, of motor accidents are caused by failure of the mechanism of a car.

The other 99i per cent, are the result of the failure of the human element.

The investigation found that about 80 per cent, of the accidents occur at intersections.

TYRE VALVE LEAKS

If a tyre valve “inside” becomes defective on the road and no spare is available, the leak can be stopped by smearing rubber solution on the threads of the valve stem and dust cap, and then screwing on the cap. It should not be necessary to adopt this idea, of course, if the inner cap is of the latest Schrader pattern, because these are fully airtight when properly screwed down, ev?u although the valve “inside” is leaking.

A HANDY TIP

Washers of thin sheet metal or fibre are often needed when repairs are in progress, but many amateurs find them difficult to make. In the case, for instance, of a fibre washer for a petrol tap the material should be about I-U5 inch thick and fairly hard. It is very difficult to drill a clean-cut hole in fibre with an ordinary twist drill, but a carpenter’s auger bit will do the job perfectly, provided the fibre is backed up with a piece of hard wood whilst being'drilled, The hole should be of a diameter which will just allow the screwed portion of the tap to pass through.

1 A pair of tin snips or a wood chisel can be used to cut the washer to shape, taking the drilled hole as a guide. There is no real need for the outer circle to he absolutely true, but after cutting it can he made reasonably so with a file. Finally, both faces of the washer should be rubbed gently on a smooth file to remove any burrs which the cutting may have fortned.

Both fibre ami thin sheet metal washers can readily be cut by the use of hollow punches, provided that a block of lead or, the end grain of a piece of hard wood be used as an anvil. Punches of all standard diameters can bo obtained from tool merchants, and ns they are by no means expensive a set of half a dozen or so might well form part of the equipment of any owner who does his own repairs.

MOTOR JOTTINGS

During 1929 Germany will produce at least, 109,000 motor cycles.

■Captain .1. S. Irving, designer of Segravc’a Golden Arrow, has been appointed technical director of the Hillman-Huhter-Commer * * * * A subdivision of the Standards Committee of the American Society of Automotive Engineers has recommended that the height above the ground of both front and rear buffers

be standardised at 17 inches, instead of the present standard of 18 inches for the front buffer and 19 inches for the rear. The measurement is to the horizontal centre line of the buffers, and is to be the mean height between no-load and full-load position of the frame. ♦ • « *

More and more people are taking to motoring every year. Other pursuits and pastimes come in and go out of public, favour, but the motor goes on advancing. The truth is that the car is key to so many things that it has become indispensable to an ever-in-creasing number of people. As soon as a person determines to do something or other, or has the means or the opportunity for doing so, then the car enters as a necessary part of the proceedings. It is prophesied by the Bureau of Street Traffic Research of Harvard University (U.S.A.) that 50,000,000 automobiles Will be on American roads within a few years in contrast to the 25,000,000 now used. This forecast, the bureau states reveals the importance to cities of careful street traffic planning by qualified engineers in order that the great increase of ears may be properly handled.

MOTOKLESS BERM UDA

With the motor vehicle reaching into darkest Africa and farthest Asia and the islands of the South Seas, it seems almost incredible that one highly civilised corner of the earth has never felt the pressure of rubber tyres. The British colony of Bermuda has consistently refused to permit the operation of motor vehicles. Horses and carriages serve the residents.

At present Bermuda is working on a railway to serve its abbreviated area, but the road is not yet complete, A bill was introduced in the provincial House to permit the operation of a few motor buses to supply general transportation until the railway is ready to do so. This bill was sternly voted down and Bermuda still remains motorless.

EDUCATIONAL LECTURES

IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

A series of interesting lectures on the “Age of Oil” is being given to High Schools and Colleges throughout New Zealand by the Vacuum Oil Company Pty, Ltd. These lectures, which are of exceptional educational value, are being well attended and are much appreciated by the scholars and masters.

A special feature, of the lee hires is the screening of motion pictures showing various methods of boring for oil used in the Mexican oil-fields and the by-products that arc produced from the crude oil. A distillation .test is also carried out and is especially enjoyed by the boys, being of particular interest to those studying chemistry. The whole process of the handling of petrol in bulk in Australia and New Zealand is also filmed—from the arrival of the tank steamer to the filling of the well-known kerbside pump, from which the petrol is dispensed io the general public. •

Educational , lectures of this kind have been carried on by the Vacuum Oil Company Pty., Ltd., for many years with the aid of lantern slides, hut the introduction of moving pictures makes the lecture much more interesting and illustrates it in a far clearer and more comprehensive manner.

The ihternatonal body of recognised automobile, clubs has decided to award a medal annually for exceptional services to motoring. The first, medal is to be presented to .Sir Henry Segrave for his world's laud speed record.