Motors and Motoring.

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11661, 27 October 1923, Page 14

Motors and Motoring.

g Trade and Other Jottings.

(By

“Torque-Rod.”)

DUNLOP ROAD RAGE WARUNAMBOOL TO MELBOURNE. To-day the Dunlap road race from Warrnambool to Melbourne 'will he held. The prize-list totalled £460, and comprises an Indian scout motor-cycle, the Warmambool Cup, nine bicycle®, and many other trophies. There "will be a very large number of competitors. The conditions provide that no outside pacing or “sheltering” hy motor-cars or motor-cycles will be allowed, nor will contestants be permitted to accept food or drink from passengers of motor-cars or motor-cycles. In respect to refreshments, the Dunlop Rubber Company has made arrangements io provide these at stated distances along the course. Ten New Zealanders have entered for the event. MOTOR TRANSPORTERS’ STRIKES POWER OF PRIVATE OWNERS.

“We are opposed neither to the principles of trade unionism nor to the advantages of collective bargaining, but if one section of the community threatens to hold the other to ransom, and, to enforce its own particular demands, take steps which are tyrannical and opposed to public opinion, it is well to bear in mind the possibilities of a call upon private motor transport which, as has been shown on previous occasions, can be very rapidly organised,” says “The Motor,” relative to the possibility of a lightning strike of transport workers. “Transport is no longer mainly in the hands of one group, as it was in the days before the railways were challenged by roadborne goods and passenger traffic. The war has produced many thousands of trained drivers, who, although not employed now upon transport, would be available at the time of a national crisis, while the growth of motoring is yearly adding many thousands more to their number. We are becoming a nation on wheels. It is not an exaggeration to say that there are at least a million people in this country who understand how to handle a motor vehicle, and the number will continue to expand as .the motoring movement broadens and becomes more general. Is it not well, therefore, to bear in mind that the motorist, who is at present the subject of much obloquy, is a very vital factor in the life of the community and can come to its aid if threatened with all the dire consequences of any tyrannical hold-up of the nation’s transport?”

RUBBER-SPOKED WHEELS

ACT AS SHOCK ABSORBERS.

For many years numerous inventors have endeavoured to produce a spring or resilient wheel which will • really prove satisfactory in operation under all conditions of service. Unfortunately, very few of their efforts have met with any considerable measure of success •, in fact, to the best of our belief, few, if any, resilient wheels are now in regular use. “Manv of those produced in the past have embodied sprintt spoVes but (says the “Commercial Motor”) “until we received particulars of the flexible wheel patented by the Dunlop Rubber Company, Ltd., and Colin Moßeth. wo had not heard before of a wheel in which rubber spokes were utilised. This is, in effect, what has been done in the case of the Dunlop wheel, although the rubber spokee are very short and their primary function is to act as shock-absorbing buffers between the inner portions of.the wheel and its rim. The blocks of rubber can be of various sections, each vulcanised to steel base segments which are keyed and bolted! to the inner and outer portions of the wheel. The compactness of the blocks prevents side rolling.” CENTRAL DEAR CONTROL ITS ONLY DRAWBACK, The chief and about the only real drawback of the centrally situated motor-car gear control is the fact that one cannot see, but hae to “feel” for the various gear positions. Most makers, too, have gone a step too far in the search for simplicity, and have not fitted a reverse stop. For the novice this is very disconcerting. A general return of the practice of fitting “gates” that are properly marked, and which also make it impossible unwittingly to get into reverse, would ably be a wise move.

COACHWORK DIFFICULTY TO KEEP GLEAN. The question: “Is present typo motor-car coaohwork too delicate?” seems to be one that needs serious con eideration. High class paintwork and varnish give a fine finish, but could not a similarly attractive appearance be obtained by other methods? IJndoubta edly, the polished aluminium type of finish ewes much of its popularity to its aibility to retain a clean appear ance without much work being requir ed. Even to remove a layer of dust from off a coach-finished body entails at least a half-hour’s work with hose, bucket, sponge, and leather —all of which are not always to hand, and the labour involved, moreover, is not of tbs typo that appeals to a man or woman who does much motoring. It would appear, therefore, that the introduction of a type of body finish that is more durable and less exacting than are present kinds would be a very welcome development. In France there have recently appeared bodies covered with leather and material similar to that used for covering the upholstery-. They look well, are light) quiet, and can be cleaned very rapidly with nothing more than a damp sponge' or raig.

Motor body builders in this country; should endeavour to devise some means' of body finish whereby less work will be entailed in keeping cars neat and ciean.

“A great deal of ink is being at the present time on the question of four-wheel brakes” (remarks “S.S.” in' “The Light Car and Cyclecar”). “Their' devotees are not slow to proclaim that any 7 car that has not got four-wheel brakes w 7 ill be well out of date in two years'" time, while Mr Cautious Driver, who hardly ever sees his present rearwheel brakes, cannot see why he need go to the expense of purchasing more 1 stopping mechanism on his front axle.Pour moi, having driven most of the" four-wheel-braked light cars on the' market, I, am of the opinion that good four-wheeled brakes are very good in* deed, and they give one a feeling of immense security. On the other hand, it is questionable whether they are going to be worth the extra expense, unless they are really trouble-free and thoroughly well-made. Unquestionably, from the point of view of stopping power, they are far better than rearwheel brakes alone, hut I doubt me whether the average driver should even find himself in a position from which he cannot he extricated by proper use of good rear-wheel brakes alone.

“Perhaps next winter will change my opinion, for I know that the car that brakes on all four wheels will not' skid. In the meantime, the obvious way to look at the question from the point of view of the manufacturer is to list front-wheel brakes as an optional extra, so" that those who want them can have them without produo-! tion being interfered with or the catalogue price increased to any great extent.”

TRADE ITEMS

The Dunlop Rubber Company, Ltd., has included at tho foot of 1 some of its recent advertisements the names of all tyres made in Britain by British labour. At a time like the present) this is very helpful to tihe British tyre industry, and a reader of such an ad- ( vertisement cannot help being impress-, ed by such a broad-minded and patriotic) action. I

The production of Rolls-Royce of America, Inc., this year will be between 600 and 600 oars. Tho company ha® established two direct works branches, in San Francisco ond Gloves, land, making five such branches in it# sales organisation. It has also a sale# office in Hartford, Conn., and also on# in Troy, N.Y., as well as 16 representatives in leading cities, affording 22. points of distribution. ' A new blended fuel for motorengines is said to be so successful that a plant to produce 20,000,000 gallons a year is being installed on Medway-! side. Some of the technical papers, have had samples for test, and their reports are entirely favourable, but we shall wait for an R.A.C. certificate of performance over a 10,000 miles test before accepting its success, says the, “Field.” It is said to he a deoootioß of an unstated component, blended with gas oils, white oil, ether and either benzoie, petrol, or alcohol, whichever may be preferred—quite an accommodating sort of fuel. Further, it ia stated that, for the first time the ether is fixed and does not evaporate, as has proved the caso in other blends. As on this constituent depends the volatility required for easy startling, the statement is important. When 20,000,000 gallons of any fuel are being produced, it is essential that it shall remain homogeneous and fixed in its constituents and character, otherwise it becomes unmarketable. Tho more we hear of this fuel the more we desire to have tho R.A.C."s certificate of its performance, not in one, but in several cars, with different engines and over considerable diistzwces.