MOTORS AND MOTORING.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13656, 26 August 1916, Page 3

MOTORS AND MOTORING.

(By "Clutch,") Legal-lighting up time: To-day, 5.19 p.m.; next' Saturday, 5.20 p.m. # " # ' ;* Too much lubrication for this ball bearings of a magneto is not good. A magneto, says an expert, requires very little.lubrication aud certainly nothing' like so often as every 200 miles. A very few;drops once ill 1000 miles is ample. Excessive oiling of a magneto is very objectionable, as oil gets on to such parts as the contact breaker'anil slip ring and causes defective working, s $ < ft An English contemporary, The Motor, estimates the cost of running a medium power car, 18 h.p,, for 7000 miles annual running, at £3lB Jos, including £lO4 wages ami. Jiving for driver, £i3B depreciation, £52 petrol, ffi repairs, i'M tyres, Ail(s licenses,'£l4 lubricants, and £.lO insurance. The cost per mile on aii 'annual • running ol'iiOOO miles .is placed at JL'lliil per mile, ami 8,!)l)ii per mile for 12,000 miles. ■'.'.* _» ' . 8 .France lias stopped the importation of motor''cars, motor tractors and cycles in the interest of French manufacturers, Tlii's order chielly affects American cars, .though,as F.ori[.,.has..a t ]3ritish factory his 'cars, which have a large sale in France, may come under the favoured terms' granted between the Allies. French factories, however, are not yet working for private use, and the'effect of the prohibition will be to stimulate trade among second-hand cars. #. * 8 "What will be the effect on motor trade after the., war?' Same .authorities anticipate smaller cars and smaller engines to save cost of fuel. They'also anticipate standardisation after, the example of American factories, and a .stronger competition. ■ British, workshops will, it is believed) be quite prepared to hold their.own since-their experience in munition ma king--Works for better organisation. The. war lias also necessitated .the use of alcohol for fuel, and it is possible that satisfactory alco-hol-burning motors have been produced in Germany. , £ * • ' # It will not be until after the war full realisation will come as to the extent to which motor boats have been .utilised, and the very definite, and in many cases determining'', influence they have exercised. At the outset the fuil importance of motor craft in warfare does 'not appear to hay? been realised;, but'it was not very long" before they had compelled full recognition, and then, in the hunting of submarines, in transport of every description on canals and waters, in despatch' aud patrolling , work, as gunboats, monitors, hospital launches, and for every conceivable purpose, they speedily found'their place. There call be no' doubt, that the development of the motor boat has during the last twelve months proceeded at more than'twice its normal pace, ami that a vast amount.ot' useful data has accumulated, which will be of the utmost value to manufacturers. in the future. Based upon the -experience which- their motors have gained under most arduous conditions,' and in the handsof both, skilled and unskilled men in all weathers, we may confidently look forward to. their constructing a. better engine after„the war ( . wdijeh of, experimenting would- havd'cvdlvcdi One of the'most striking features of the employment'of motor craft Muringthe present hostilities lias been the'mini:, ber of actually new types'" ot" vessels,) quite original in design,, that have been constructed, •'■ : -* ■■ "' *' ■•; * ' Bear-Admiral Sir I!. K. Arbuthnot, who lost his life when the Defence went down in the great naval.battle oil'. Jutland,, was a keen raciug' motor-cyclist, anil was the first private owner to compete in the classic "Tourist Trophy',' motor-cycle race in England.-Ho competed with success on Brooklands, and in hill climbs, reliability trials, etc. - ■ ■'■'■ '■■■.■■ *'• ■ .'■,«• -•-*. •-' ■; The straits to'.which Germany is re'-' ducod are shown by a recent order forbidding the use of bicycles for sport or pleasure in Berlin and.the province of Brandenburg. The penalty for a breach of this order is a,lino of £75 or imprisonment for oue'ycar, so the authorities evidently-regard the '"offence" as extremely serious. Their object, ostensibly, is to conserve the supply of rubber for war purposes, but it is curious that.those who already possess tyres are not even permitted to wear them out. 'S , m # The cheapness of the bicycle has done, much to popularise the pastime, and we should not care to return to the days when £22 was a common price for a machine and £llO not. unusual. Nevertheless, even cheapness can be overdone, and the tendney in recent years lias been for cyclists to pay too 'little for their bicycles. The war is helping to correct this, but not in. quite the best way. Cyclists should be educated to believe that a high-grade machine is the best bargain; that it will give far greater; all-round satisfaction, than any low-priced mount; that it means a higher standard of pleasure, a keener delight in the game. # # # ' , What is the future of-the motor-car' wheel? From many points of view,says ; the Motor (Eng.) the wire wheel is' the best detachable, Closely following this type in popularity comes the steel wheel. In each case the disc covering is showing signs of increasing popularity.. Krom the point of view of set'-, vice, the disc covering is all that could' be desired. It removes' the one anil only defect-of-the wire wheel, namely,'the difficulty of cleaning. From the appearance point of view, however, it is wholly abhorrent. The wire wheel itself is of pleasing ami mechanical appearance; Put an ugly black disc oil it, however, ami it becomes exactly the reverse. It is quite impracticable (o combine tin 1 two good features without the defect, No one appears to have tried,. Is it, then, impossible to get some sort of colourless and transparent disc? If some such disc could be made practicable, one would forthwith have the very useful advantage of the disc cover ami, at the same time, retaiiuthe distinctive appearance of the wire or steel wheel, # s- * The latest in detachable boat-motors is a four-cycle twin-cylinder Evinrmle engine, developing four horse-power. Speed up to eight and nine miles an hour can be obtained, with an ordinary boat, whilst a canoe can be turned into a real speed-boat. Vibration is claimed in be eliminated by the opposed piston (•(instruction, which fakes up all the reciprocating motion. Starting is easy, Ihe motor picks up quickly, and runs villi remarkable smoothness. The speed can be throttled down as low as ,oiie mile an hour without choking. Automatic reverse and' improved built-in. magneto lly-whocl type are-installed,,in. addition |o the various conveniences .and. safeguards contained in t.'.c singli.c.vlinder models. ....