THE MOTORIST

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1931, Page 15

THE MOTORIST

NOVEL TRAFFIC LIGHT.

PARISIAN INNOVATION.

Recently a novel traffic, light- was installed at a busy Paris intersection. Always different in, traffic affairs, the quaint Parisians designed this light for operation by pedestrians! Mon* sieur or Madame, wishing to cross pushes a button in the lamp post and traffic stops for fifteen seconds. Paris traffic generally is, a tangle of care, blaring horns, and squealing brakes, says Milton Pulford, Director of Service for the De Soto Motor Corporation. The police make little effort to enforce speeds regulations. Skyrocket acceleration in approaching a crossing, followed by a wild blast of the horn .and a jamming of brakes, is the custom. In fact, the safety of life, limb, and one’s car depends upon a good set of brakes. “Paris' drivers don’t slow up for \ crossings,” Mr Piilford explains. “Instead, they step on the gas and try to got there first. If the way is clear they dash across. If not, nothing but a. sudden stop prevents a crash. The quick and sure action of hydraulic four-wheel brakes was never so much appreciated as when I drove about Paris. “French courts have held that a speedometer that turns back to zero when the car stops is not satisfactory evidence of speeding. As practically all, police cars have the' .ordinary speedometers, an arrest usually ends iu a wrangle with the prisoner as to what the respective speedometers showed, as to speed, and the prisoner goes free. “‘Paris authorities , encourage rapid movement. They hold that 20 miles or less may he dangerous in congested districts. Hence the rush and bustle. It is a common sight to see half a dozen ears dash madly for a crossing from four directions. All jam on the brakes and argue who is to cross first. Next everybody apologises, and ‘pardons’ rend the air. They get untangled and rush pell-mell for the, next intersection.” WOMEN INCOMPETENT DRIVER!* The opinion that many women drivers were devoid of road sense was expressed by a suburban traffic inspector' in one of our largest cities. He said that while there were certain women I who drove’much better than the majority of men, few could be relied upon to act quickly and correctly in a crisis. It was his experience that most , women carried out the actual handling of their cars well, and could change gear and control the vehicle in an exemplary manner, but; usually lost their heads if some unforseen difficulty arose. The inspector added that lie found that women generally drove faster than men. While they did not attain very high speeds, they were inclined to travel too fust across intersections, instead of regulating their pace to road conditions, traffic and other circumstances. • I 1 :

BRITISH CAB BOOM. THANKS TO WISE ADVERTISING. This year’s Motor Show lias demonstrated the boom in British cars (states the London “Daily Mail” of October IP). They are supreme, from the “baby” el ass, to the most luxurious types, at prices considerably lower than , those ruling but a short time ago.

The past three years in particular have seen the steady building up- of the British motor industry to its present state of unprecedented prosperity.

In that period, not content with the bulwark afforded by the McKenna duties, the British ear manufacturers have combined to initiate- and carry on a powerful national advertising campaign to urge the public to buy British cars. ■ Forty thousand pounds a year for the last three years has been spent in the “Buy British Cars” campaign. The success of this propaganda in selected newspapers is, amply demonstrated by the present prosperous condition of the industry—-the increased sales and exports of British ears and the decline in the imports of foreign cars. J VALVE TIMING. AUTOMATIC VARIATION. The valve timing of racing -ears is very different from that of a touring car engine; the reason is that, if the valves be adjusted to give smooth and flexible running at low speed®, they do not remain open long enough for the ingress of ghses at speeds. Conversely, a high-speed timing causes roughness, loss of power, and even missing at low speeds. A way of overcoming this difficulty is to employ a variable timing, controlled either automatically by a governor or by a, lever operated, by the driver.

Quite a simple and effective mechanism for varying the valve timing while.: the engine is running has- been evolved and patented, at Home. A simple, governor iaae been arranged to alter the timing progressively as the speed increases. The action of the governor moves the special camshaft in an end-wise direction, an operation which does not require any great force, and when the speed again falls the shaft is progressively returned ,to its original position by means of a spring. Each cam is specially shaped on a taper, so that the period during which the valve is held open can be progressively altered as . the cam is moved to and fro. . ,

The amount of variation is, of course, practically unlimited, but it is interesting to note that the following timings have been employed for the experimental engine. At the lowest speeds the inlet valve open?* at top dead centre, and closes 30. degrees late, giving an opening period of, 210 degrees. At the' other extreme it opens 20 degrees early, and closes; 50 degrees late, increasing the period to 250 degrees. Corresponding figures for the exhanst valve are: at low speeds the valve opens 35 degrees early, and closes at top dead centre, while at maximum speed it opens 50 degrees early and closes 20 degrees late. Timing variations obtained by moving the camshaft have, of course, been tried before, but the present system is of interest in view of the practical results achieved.

ANOTHER ASPIRANT.

LAND SPEED- RECORD. The announcement comes from California of a speedwaydriver with ambitions to gain for America the land speed record. His name is Stapp, and familiarly lie is known as* “Babe” iStapp. He made liis debut as a speedway driver some seven years ago, and his prowess and daring in the succeeding years attracted the attention of Mr Fred. Douscnberg. He put up a really good show last May on the Indianapolis track, and later he took part in the European Grand Prix and other Continental classics. After another Continental tour this year he has the intention of going to Daytona and attacking the mile- record with a machine to be powered by Duesonbcrg engines, two 217 cubic inch eight-cylinder supercharged units in n, chassis of “revolutionary design,” according to Htapp. He says: “in the first place- the fuselage will more or less resemble an inverted aeroplane wing, that is to say it will have the same qualities tp keep it op the ground that the wing of an aeroplane has to lift it above.”

‘ Plans for the proposed -car have already been drawn, and a model built to scale by the designer. It will weigh 50001 b, and the motors will be placed side by side. -S-tapp does not intend to have the large fish-tail behind that British designers have made familiar, being confident, he says, that the radically different body construction -of his machine will not render it necessary. .

•Stapp is calling into consultation Mr “Tommy” Milton, who ip 1920 established a straightway record of 150.046 miles an hour. That was seven years before any faster was brought along. Though Milton is re-, tired, Sta-pp regards him as -one of the greatest racing drivers that ever lived, and says that any suggestion he. makes will be carried out. EASY STARTING. TROUBLE. ON COLD MORNINGS. ■ Cold mornings fof. motorists spell ears that are- hard to stairt, while for the cars the. cqld means probable excessive wear, due to owners over-us-ing the choke and causing raw fuel to wash away the oil from between -the pistons and cylinders. Any owner who cares- for his ear will first help it on very cold mornings by turning the engine over a few times with the starter handle. This will free' the gummed oil in the cylinders and bearings. Also when first iising the- starter motor they will' relieve the battery "of" the resistance load of the heavy, cold -oil ip the gear box by throwing out the clutch. To ensure an, easy and quick start in the morning it pays to follow a definite rule when- making tile overnight stop. When the car enters the garage for the night and halts jn neutral, slightly accelerate, ' then apply full choke and switch off. The trick provide® a ready starting charge for the- next morning.

Again, an easy start on a <?oJd morning is only possible when the ignition and earburation are correctly set and are functioning accurately. Presuming the valve setting to be correct, the carburettor, set by the ; service station, should not be a source of trouble -unless a jet is blocked, or the needle valve is not seating, or condensation (water) or dirt residue is in the float chamber. Of course* overuse of the choke will cause , wet fuel to enter the cylinders, and often this overcharge of petrol will foul the plugs and prevent sparking and combustion.

In such cases immediately use the starter with the choke out of action, and the throttle fairly wide open. If that fails unscrew the spark plug and clean the points. Even the unacrewing, by allowing the fresh air into the cylinder, may cause a start. RADIATIONS. The reckless driver thitiketh not that he is reckless; he thinketh he is a bettey driver. * * * .# A man he was to all the country dear. And passing rich on forty pounds l a year; But know ho is a man of speed and power, And passing quick at forty miles an hour. . * * * / $ Following his successful attack on the land speed record at over 245 m.p.h., Sir Malcolm Campbell has now declared that he hopes during the next few years to raise this record to 300 m.p.h., provided he can get the necessary financial backing. * * # * ■ Unless the top of ,tho car is covered with a. paint of good quality the fabric, will decay rapidly and the surface will either decay rapidly and the surface will either develop a leak or crack and tear away. It does not require much experience to apply a topdressing and the costs are’ little. A brilliant finish adds much to the- appearance of a car. * * * * Bid you know that the world’s fend speed record in 3898 was held at fihe terrific speed of 29.24 miles an hotor. The meteoric car "was Chasseloup-Ldu-bat’s “Jeanta^ld. ,,

BATTLES and SQDEAKS. Rattles and squeaks are particularly noticeable in a car with quiet, engine and transmission. - Generally those noises indicate want of attention to some part of the car, perhaps only a loose nut or stud, which should receive attention as soon as the noises are first heard. Some squeaks are not due to lack of lubrication. They are caused 'by the rubbing together of parts Which should be fixed rigidly to each other, and are generally in, the bodywork or the ' valances.' Woodwork ©brinks with drying, and after a short period a car may develop slackness in the bolts which bold the body down. After much service squeaks and- rattles' 'develop in the doors. Where rubber blocks are employed as doorstops the squeaks may be eliminated sometimes by slackening the bolts or screws securing the rubber blocks and turning these to expose a new surface. When this fails the block should be removed and a thin wafer of cork cut from an ordinary bottle-stopper placed underneath it, thus giving extra height to the buffer. Rattles' and squeaks in mudguards -and valances are easy to locate and easy to eliminate. Rattles may be caused by a loose electric cable or the speedometer drive shaft. These should bo clipped up to any handy support. Brake-rod rattle can be cured by the use of rubber tubing. Loose floor, boards can be quietened by tacking strips of old inner tubes along the edges and on the underside. Many astonishing rattles are caused by nothing more serious than the jumble of tools and parts in the tool locker or under one of the seats. Care and system in stowing away Pools after use will prevent rattling.

POINTED MASCOTS. • ■ 0 DANGER TO PEDESTRIANS. Sharp-pointed radiator cap mascots are' not being looked kindly upon in England. The following leading article, from ‘‘The Motor, ’’ explains the position!: — “We understand that there have been conversations between, the Ministry of Transport and the Society of Motor Manufacturers ion an entirely new subject in connection with motor cars. The Ministry contends that motor mascots which present sharp points to the front constitute a danger, to pedestrians : in the event of a collision and that their- use should be discontinued. “It was at' first the intention of the Ministry t,o issue a regulation dealing with the matter, but for the time being, it has been decided not to do so if the society takes special steps to draw the attention of all its members to the undesirability of such fittings. As. a result of this car manufacturers and accessory makers have been warned of the Ministry’s attitude. “It is understood that there is no objection to mascots which present flat surfaces with ' sharp projections that point to the sides. We are not disposed to criticise this action as unreasonable on the pqrt of the Ministry, for a mascot presenting a sharp projecting point forward has undoubted potential dangers.” Perhaps the subject "might be dealt with in NeW’ Zealand also.

LOOK AFTER TOE BQNNE& It is a well-known fact thas- the finish on tlie bonnet dulls before that of the rest of. the car; duo chiefly!,to the extremes of temperatures which it., * has to undergo. It'is a-good. ide,a.-to wipe the bonnet when you' get back, to the garage a|ter a run In Ihelam, as the water dries on the bonnet,.very rapidly owing to the heat, and the drops are nearly certain, to spot, eventually dulling the finish. Of - course it is advisable to wipe ear all over after: being wet, ..but,.aJways do the bonnet. LOCATING BODY NOISES. 0 rr~A good way of locating.;a body or . chassis noise is. to rock 1 the car froift. side to side. When cars ate fitted ** with balloon tyres the air-pressure should.be increased during the test. If this is not done, much of the'rocking motion will be absorbed by" the soft tyres, whereas the idea is. to. 1 bring into play the spring action.