MOTOR NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 March 1923, Page 8

MOTOR NOTES

THE FRENCH GRAND PRIX A keen contest is assured for the 1923 French Grand Prix road race by the entry of Fiat, Sunbeam, RollandPilain, and Voisin cars, wit hthe probability of other makers entering at a later date. This race, which is the Blue rliband event of Europe, is open to cars wth an engine of not more than two litres piston displacement (122 cubic inches), this being the same rule as for 1922. The race will be held near Tours, about 120 miles from Paris, on Monday,. July 2, over a triangular course measuring 14 1-8 miles round, the total distance being about 500 miles. Last year the French Grand Prix was won by Felice Nazarro on a Fiat. l So fa ras is, known, six and eightcylinder machines will be used by all the competitors. The Voiisn Company announce that, it Will race with a sleevo valve engine, while, for all the others poppet valves will be employed.

PROTECTION OF SPRINGS

A few years ago it uscl to bo debated whether the best condition of working for automobile springs was open and exposed to the weatber or enclosed in some form of weather-protecting and grease-retaining cover. Advocates ot the first system used to maintain that Hie functioning of the spring was due in large measure to the friction between the leaves, and that lubrication would have the undesirable effect of reducing this friction. Now, however, it _ is agreed that this argument is fallacious, and all the best cars are fitted witli spring gaiters as standard, while makers of spring gaiters for any car that is without this necessary fitting in the first instance arc doing a very good business. FOR SALE A motor car with a broken spring, Two front wheels and a piston ring, : Shock absorbers and everything. It's three- years old, And four 'next spring. Radiator's broken, hear it speak? Carburettor's dry, it has a leak. Got lots of speed, And goes like the deuce; Burns either gas or lemon-juice; Tyres all off, been run on the rim ; But it's a decent little car For the shape it's in. TABLE OF AIR PRESSURES Don't attempt to tell the pressure in :a tyre by looking at it.or kicking it the way so nianv motorists do. Instead,' test the lyres immediately after inflation and once or twice a week as well. And don't test them with the gauge on your pump line, but with an independent

gauge—one that, will open the valve. The gauge' on your pump or air hose registers only the air pressure less the resistance to the valve. The table of air pressures adopted by the Society of Automatic Engineers of the United States is as follows :

-For Fabric Tyres.—

At least- once a season the car-owner ought to have the alignment of his wheels thoroughly checked. The owner can do it. himself if Ik; understands one of the several methods that must be used.

Maximum Corresponding Pii'f size. load per tire, air presure. 3 ... 375 45 3i ... 570 55 4" ... 815 65 4J. ... 1,100 75 5 1.500 85 — -For Cord Tires.— 3 400 40 3J, ... 600 50 4 ... 850 60 41 ... 1.200 70 r^~ 1.700 80