MOTOR TRADE ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18553, 10 November 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

MOTOR TRADE ITEMS.

: The V-type eight-cylinder engine is now employed in Oldsmobile. King Cole, Wills Sainte Claire, i,Standard,, Cadillac, Apperson, Peerless, Lincoln, Lafayette, Daniels, and Cunningham cars.

The chassis of the Wolseley ** Fifteen shows many alterations, and may almost be called a new modeL An outstanding feature is that every component hts; been carefully considered from the point of view of accessibility. A thermostat is incorporated in the cooling <*«*«*» maintain correct engine temperature automatically. An improved system of lubrication has been, introduced a gear box is fitted, and the drive to . the floating rear axle is through spiral bevel rear. The front axle is of new design with larger wheel bearings. Final a Joint to be noted is that all Wo «e ey models for overseas usa are now lltted with magneto ignition.

The British tvre industry recently asked for a duty on" imported tyres simply in fulfilment of a pledge eight years old. Tyres were originally included in Wie draft of the Finance Bill of 1915, which imposed a 33 1-3 per cent, duty upon Motor-cars and all components or accessories thereof." Tyres, at the last moment, were specifically exempted from the duty solely as the result of a bargain with the United States, which provided that in return for free importation they would send all tyres for neu tral countries through Britain, so that we could control their re-shipment and prevent their getting into Germany. Obviously, that bargain came to an end the moment America entered the war, and the tyre industry were entitled then to expect* the restoration of tyres to their rightful place in the next' Finance Act, and they have never been able to understand why successive Governments neglected so obvious a measure of sheer justice.

Seven aeroplane tyres, the largest ever built, have just been completed by a Canadian tyre and rubber company for use on the" world's largest aeroplane, which made its trial flights recently. The tyres are 54 x 14in., with smooth treads, and are inflated to 70 pounds air pressure. Each tyre will support 10,0001b. Six 400 horse-power Liberty motors furnish power for the 40,0001b. craft. The engines are supplied from a gasoline tank, 2000 gallons capacity, and the oil tank will carry 181 gallons. It takes a crew of four men to operate the ship, which has a flying speed of 90 miles per hour. In construction the ship is a two-and-a-half planer, the middle plane being a small chord, with ailerone on the top and bottom planes only. Because of its great weight and unusual loads, the regulation type of landing gear would not support the giant plane, so a special undercarriage was constructed to absorb the energy of landing and also to permit taxiing The tyres, which by the way are Goodyears, are a part of this landing gear, and because each is capable of bearing 10,000 pounds, they will play 'an important part in landing and taking off. One of the greatest of the world's industrial romances—the production of rubber—has its origin in the forests and jungle lands of South America, Central Africa, and other equatorial regiO" i (says an article in New Zealand Life and Forest Magazine). As is well known, crude robber is a vegetable product gathered from certain species of trees, shrubs, and vines. Rubber issues forth from the tree as a milky juice, exuding from the- bark slowly, drop by drop. These tiny drops, carefully collected, go to make up rubber, which is now.one of civilisation's necessities, standing only "a little behind steel in the commercial affairs of the world. Its elastic properties were early known to the natives of the jungles., but it was not until the early part of the nineteenth century, when the secret bf rubber vulcanisation was discovered, that rubber began to. play an important part in industry. This discovery was one of the most important of modern times, and deserves to rank with that of electricity, the invention of printing, and other benefits that have advanced civilisation. In fact, so dependent have we become upon this mm roved juice of a forest tree, that a world without rubber to-day would be a strange and rather undesirable place indeed. The idea of the tyre was evolved by an Englishman, and so fascinating is the story of its development that every vear the well-known Canadian firm, the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company, gets thousands of requests for information as to. its manufacture, source of supply, and methods employed in its development. As showing the vast resources of this firm, it may be mentioned that last year it handled 26,000 tons :of rubber in" the manufacture cf the" famous Goodyear lyres, over 40,000,000 of > which have been sold to date. „?,-'- ■ Quite a number of cars new to this flity have put in an appearance recently, the latest being the Belgium car named "Metallurgique." It is a five-seater model fitted with a 12-15 h.p. 4-cylinder engine having an overhead cam-shaft operating direct on the valves which have' dual springs. The engine has an aluminium base and the casing is stove enamel finished, giving it a neat appearance. The dash board is also an aluminium plate. Lubrication is the. forced system and magneto ignition is —the magneto being particularly accessible. The radiator is the V shaped type and a 'single blade propellor fan working in a housing ensures a cool running engine. The front wheel* ars fitted with an expanding brake . and the ingenious manner and neatness of construction and connection-to'wheel' is noteworthy. Springing is f semi-elliptic, both front and rear, th« x front being .fitted with safety brackets and the rear 'are nnderslung.' The dash'appointments beside the usual equipment* include a novel benzine gauge which registers the amount of benzine in the tank by operating a push button, an altitude meter, and also a grade meter. The removal of the switch key cuts out the entire electrical equipment which is Robert Bosch manufacture. If the switch is accidentally left on the "on" position a red light shows on the dash. The gear box has four speedsforward and one reverse. The body and upholstery which are very fine are by the leading Brussels firm Vandenplaa. Rudge Whitworth wire wheels are fitted, a fifth wheel being carried on the side. The car at the price is one of the roomiest and best finished we have inspected. At the invitation of Mr. W. S. Miller I had a trial spin in the car. The acceleration in top gear on a stiff grade from 10 m.p.h. to 40 m.p.h. was remarkable, as was also the control in traffic. A run over a bad patch of road proved the efficiency of the springing. The new garage which is being erected in Albert Street for the Auckland Motor Company is fast nearing completion . and is expected to be ready for occupation at the end of this month. It wilf rank in size with the largest in the city and a noticeable feature is the absence of posts in such a wide —74ft. It has been designed for a second floor to be added later without any structural alteration. The Bowser system of benzine and the latest free* .and .water standards have just arrived from U.S.A. Portable visible oil Bowsers will also be included in i«l e S m J pment A 15ft. turntable is beincr a3S : X^ e c . entre 0{ the 8 > gof ?"»• bAckv,kfitted up^f 0 l * ' a P? oin , t . m9n:s k being novel featnr^ 6 •?,**',?' lad '' eß - Another .*• * K&tag .>. Ackers for the Will be lock"lt^ n *, Wch Personal effects guaranteeing absduL »!P .W/'**' thus fenng. b ttDSClu te security from pil-

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