MOTORING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 7 April 1934, Page 4

MOTORING

GOOD DRIVERS NECESSARY ATTRIBUTES REACTION IX EMERGENCY An essential for good driving is a quick reaction in an emergency, and every driver lias liis own limit in tlie speed with which he can see, think and act. The impulse is first received from the sense of sight or hearing. This nervous impulse is conveyed to the brain, a decision is made, and another impulse transmitted to the arms or legs. Safety in an emergency depends upon the time which this reaction takes. The man who can act quickly tends to be the safer driver.

Road sense is a quality that improves with experience, but intelligence nnd imagination are, in some degree, allied human qualities, and a combination of them is necessary in order to visualise and avert disaster. To some road sense arrives very quickly; others may drive for years and acquire very little of it. The best driving is the driving that foresees the possibilities and avoids rushing into situations which demand emergency action. The first • essential in the control of the vehicle is the control of oneself. Confidence is a necessary attribute of the good driver. With it comes the ability to do many things well. Confidence in oaeself and confidence in the machine being driven arc both necessary. But one must know that the machine is mechanically sound, and one must be sure that lie is physically fit himself. A tired, jaded, or worried man has no right to be confident in himself. He should consider himself in the same light that he should consider his vehicle. It is possible, however, to be over-confident. This is a serious fault. It leads to the taking of risks, and nothing can justify the taking of a risk. Master of oneself and master of the vehicle; that is the key to all good driving. To be that, one must know both.

COMFORT AND STYLE THE NEW MODELS NEW YORK SHOW ' Over 200 models were exhibited at the National Automobile Show of the United States held in New York in January. In a short review after the close the “New York Times” said:— “There was offered a type of body to meet every individual and family requirement, and, while the majority were enclosed types, it was quite evident that the open style and roadster, mostly de luxe, have not lost their appeal. These are smartly styled and finished in bright colours, from light to bright dark shades, and several are upholstered in contrasting coloured leather, the shades including red and green. > “While, darker hues predominated, there was a wide variety of colours and delicate shades. Several cars featured the so-called ‘pearl essence/ one maker exhibiting a model shown at the Century of Progress and finished with sun glow pearl essence. “Interiors for 1934 are richly appointed and upholstered with new fabrics. Conveniences in the shape of arm rests, ash trays, cigar lighters, clocks, etc., and (in the higher-priced models) mirrors with lights and vanity cases abounded among the cars at the show. In several models there was offered an ash tray at the forward end of the arm rests and clocks in the centre of the back of the rear seat.

“Individual or bucket-type front seats were noted in more cars; these seats are easily adjusted and their backs are much higher, providing comfortable and correct support of the shoulders. The refinements in interior trim and hardware were numerous and differed in some beautiful motifs. Large cohipartmerits with locks for storing gloves and small packages were generally provided. “Quite noticeable with the more radically streamlined bodies were smaller rear and quarter windows, in most instances wedge-shaped, with two windows at the rear. One model has a small wedge-shaped indirect type of interior light over the quarter. “The increase in attendance over last year was gratifying to the show’s management. As far as the afternoon crowds were concerned, the increase was due, to some degree, to the reduction in the admission price of 55 cents for morning and afternoon sessions. However, executives and salesmen generally declared that the increase was also due to general interest in the new 1934 cars.”

1934 AMERICAN CARS INDEPENDENT SPRINGING OF FRONT WEELS In a review of new things in connection with the American cars of 1934 a prominent motor engineer refers to the matter of independent springing of the front wheels. The idea of independent springing, he remarks, is not new, because there has always been a demand for easy riding, especially in regard to cars with short wheelbases. Manufacturers outside America have used forms of independent suspension for some time, and as long ago as 1913 a number of small cars in the United States were so equipped. While better riding quality was the aim some years back, the need for separate Avheel action has been greater since balloon tyres arrived. Such tyres, he says, upset front-end stability and brought in a host of troubles which GRANDPA’S ONION SUPPER ' When Grandpa was a boy his mother had very definite ideas about treating colds. Instead of enjoying his usual supper, Grandpa was put to bed and given a big bowl of onions well dosed with pepper. But as Grandpa has grown up he has seen another remedy come into national favour. That is, of course, your old friends Baxter’s Lung Preserver. The big thing about “Baxter’s”—especially where children are concerned—is that while “Baxter’s” is the safest and surest remedy, it is also the most pleasant. Children actually learn to ask for “Baxter’s” and seldom regard it as a medicine. “Baxter’s” is so soothing, so warning and pleasant. It relieves and eases in a wonderful way —while its unique tonic properties quickly restore strength and build up the system against future colds. This is the season when children in particular catch colds easily. Every mother should be sure she has “Baxter’s” in the home. Get “Baxter’s” with your next groceries or next time you pass a chemist’s. 4/6, 2/6 and 1/6 sizes.

called for correction, after correction as the years went on. Now, with still faster and softer tyres, with the addition of softer front springs, freedom from shimmy, tramp, and all the other names given to front wheel and steering actions and reactions, the need for a radical move has given independent suspension. Springs arc usually thought of as having to hold up the car. but they have to do more than that. In the rear in nearly all cars they also transmit the drive and absorb the rear axle torque. The car is pushed through the rear springs. Sometimes they are relieved of extra work, as when a torque tube or rod is used. In all cars with semi-elliptic front springs the latter have to support the frame, take brake torque, and keep the front axle in place. Obviously, with all manner of forces acting on them they cannot be made too soft in action; rather they must be fairly stiff, hence not so easy riding. Moreover, whatever movement the front springs impart to the frame has its effect on the rear springs by lifting up the front of the frame and compressing the rear springs. What one wheel does after a bump means some transfer of movement to the solid axle, the steering, and perhaps the other front wheel.

When the front wheels arc independently sprung each spring has its own wheel, and what it does is its business almost exclusively, so all the spring has to do is Hold up its end of the frame. Even the shock absorbers can be set once and for all, whereas with semi-elliptic springs and the previous designs the spring varied in ‘rate,” depending on whether they were oiled or rusty, because the leaves slid over one notlier.

With independent suspension the shock absorbers do not have to change their action, depending upon interleaf friction. There is from four to six inches of wheel movement with coil springs, against a limit of about 3in before bottoming with the former designs.

Here he brings in a “but.” He says that with independent suspension a lot more is going to be heard of tyre scuffing and about wheels slanting on turns. However, what faults the various independent systems may have are minor compared with what took place before. Tyre treads have been designed to take care of any added wear from, scuffing. CONTROLSOF THE CAR SIMPLIFICATION OR ADVANCE? They talk airily about the simplification of car control, which is said to have advanced so greatly, writes a motoring expert in a London newspaper. Have you ever taken the trouble to count the number of controls you have to look after? On a 1934 model the other day the writer was staggered to count up over 20. There was gear-lever and steeringwheel with the horn button on the hub of the latter and the dip-aud-dim and ignition advance-and-retard below and above it. Those were ordinary; the dashboard was a real display. Numbering from the right there was a knob for switching on or off one of the two horns for town or country use respectively. Next came the direction indicator lever (for once not provided with lights to indicate whether it was acting or not); and the knob of the concealed screen wipers, and below it the knob of the freewheel control. . Between these and the

instrument board proper was a little group of smaller knobs, one for the roof light, another for the fog light, two for the strangler and throttle. On the instrument board, which was a comparatively restrained specimen of its kind, were oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge, speedometer, clock ammeter, petrol gauge, starter switch with warning indicator, and lamps switch. Finally, on the far side were two knobs for the adjustable shock absorbers.

It might be said that with all this collection the driver had plenty to think of without adding radio. The writer is not sure that the best place to mount the set would not be in the rear compartment so that it would have to be looked after by a passenger.