LAND SPEED ATTEMPTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21098, 4 February 1932, Page 11

LAND SPEED ATTEMPTS.

MR. NORMAN SMITH'S CAR.

NEW RADIATOR OFFERED. SMALLER COOLING AREA. A offer of a new radiator, identical in design with that at present fitted to the racing car, the Fred. H. Stewart Enterprise, but with 10 per cent, less cooling surface, has been received by Mr. Norman Smith from Mr. W. Monteith, builder of the cooling system at present installed in the car.

The offer was made, not because of any defect in the ladiator in use, but because the existing system kept the water a trifle too cool when the attack was made on the world's ten-mile land speed record last, week, Mr. Smith said yesterday. Although efficiency of cooling was essential, a certain amount of heat was equally necessary if the engine was to function perfectly, and it was considered possible that the radiator might keep the water too cool when the one-mile record was attacked.

During the successful attempt to break the ten-mile record at the Ninety-Mile Reach, he found the car accelerated much faster than had been expected, and as a result he would not take as long a run as he had planned to gather speed before entering the measured mile when the beach allowed him to attack Sir Malcolm Campbell's record, Mr. Smith said. As the preliminary run would be shorter, the engine would be running for a shorter time than had been anticipated, and with the present radiator in use the water might not gain the required temperature by the time the car had entered the mile. Mr. Monteith had. therefore, offered to build a smaller radiator, identical with tho present one except in size, so that the smaller cooling surface would allow the water in the system to attain a slightly higher temperature. Mr. Smith said he had not yet decided whether he would accept Mr. Monteith's offer. Tn any case, he would use the present radiator in the attempt to lower the five-mile record.

The latest, reports received from Mr. Smith's business manager, Mr. J. H. Mostyri, staled that the Ninety-Mile Beach had suffered as a result of a north easterly wind yesterday. Bumps had appeared at the four, five, seven, nine and ten-mile pegs, and conditions did not indicate that, an attempt would be possible this weekend.

however, Mr. Smith receives a. favourable report stating that a steady westerly wind is blowing, between now and to-morrow, he will leave Auckland immediately, together with the representatives of the Auckland Automobile Racing Club, Limited, and the timing experts. Otherwise. Mr. Smith will probably return to the beach on Tuesday, and spend some time deep-sea fishing before attacking the records about February 20.