THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18466, 30 January 1922, Page 2

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By Accelerator.

[ltems of news— short descriptions of too re, the state of roads, etc.,— comment, or teqnirica will be welcomed by “ Aocelerstor. J HOME NOTES. The Warrington Beach races to be held during February will hit of special interest. I hear that Messrs Lambert and Thomas, of Christchurch, intend competing.. Mr C. F. Alexander, now resident m Auckland, arrived in Dunedin on Friday. ' Mr Alexander motored from Taranaki to Wellington, brought his car across on the ferry, and motored on to Duifedin. Whilst a resident of Dunedin Mr Alexander was an energetic member of the Otago Motor Club', and will be warmly welcomed “homo ’ ■by his club mates. . Th'o events to be provided for the march gras next week by the Otago Motor Club will be interesting, and promise to provide good sport. A speed event for machines up to 3i*h.p. is being arranged. The h.p. limit is sot for safety on the “Plimsoll line,” tho track being unsuitable for the higher-powered machines. A rescue race and a tug-»*-war for side-car machines' Will he included in the programme. By entering and competing in these events motor cyclists will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping deserving children who need practical sympathy and assistance. .• The ‘ orphans’ outing” which is being arranged by the Otago Motor Club promises to bo a very bright spot; in the children’s life. This motor outing has been fixed for .February 25, and tho Dunedin Jockey Club has kindly granted the use -of its grounds at Wingatui for the occasion. The ladies of Wingatui and the Rev. J, Bush-King have very enthusiastically taken up the matter of catering for and entertaining the children at. the rendezvous, and 1 nothing will be wanting to brighten tho day for the youngsters. The event is being pleasurably anticipated by motor tar owners. ITiOvSe who gave the use of their oars for the occasion last season were unahinlouß in declaring it to be one of their most enjoyable days, bringing ’sunshine . into. so rhaby young lives. The children, of every orphanage in our city will be .invited, to take cart in the outing. _ '' Todd Bros.;’ Ltd., have just landed a 7 922 model Wolseley which attracts the eye. The car, which has been built to. the. 1 order of Mr S. D. Lawson, of Dunedin, is, a standard 15-h.p. with certain new features. lb’s colour scheme is a variation, and the upholstery js of an unusual shade. The guaras have a second metal line just inside the outer edge, which will have the effect of diverting mud and strengthening the guard. A rear- , wind screen of attractive, design, aluminium bonnet, and aeroplane design lamps fitted on the guards, together with the finish and general excellence of workmanship makes a car at which the tepnnoisseur will certainly look more than once. A FILTER FLOAT CHAMBER .' Motorists who are troubled by the indifferent quality of their fuel will be interested to learn‘that a Birmingham firm has introduced a patent filter float chamber, wherein water or foreign matter. up to lioz ,<jan accumulate before necessitating attention. Under a prolonged road test an ounce, of water 1 has been.' put in the, filter and the fuel passed through same with perfect driving results . , THE CHEAPEST MOTOR CYCLE. That an effort is being made to market a motor cycle ’ within the reach of those who cannot afford £IOO, or the best part of it, for a solo machine was evidenced by. several exhibits at the recent motor cycle show at Olympia. One machine was listed ar £27 6s, and a very serviceable outfit it looks from the illustrations and details given in the English press. The weight of the “M'Kenzie,” as it is known, is only 751 b, the power unit being a two-stroke si Ogle-cylinder engine, with a boro and stroke of 60 millimeters. The frame is so designed that either sex can ride the. machine, which is said to be a really reliable proportion, built on lines that will appeal to those desirous of motoring at a reasonable speed and low running costs. , ECONOMY IN PRODUCTION. The struggle between three and fourspeed gearboxes still seems evenly balanced, for where the four-speed gear-sot gains by its introduction on small chassis it loses on those of high-power to weight ratio. From a complete examination of tho oars exhibited at the recent British motor show tho Autocar, notes the evident ’ influence of tho-yprodiiction' engineer in- many 1922 ohassis./f This through! cooh<#nic pressure, and dt is a result m;Lwhich, , the user will "participate. Prices sfmbly'Snkvo be .noticed, and. as wages and'mkterial- cdSts-’cannot be lowered in advance, it has been necessary to design cars •so that they may be produced with a lessoned factory cost. This has been achieved bv rendering many parts—particularly small ones —interchangeable for different components of the chassis and by simplifying the machinery operations. QUEENSLAND MOTOR REGULATIONS. The new regulations for the registration of motor vehicles under the Queensland Main Roads Act came into force- last month. One feature is that they provide for the transfer of the administration of motor vehicle registration from the Commissioner of Police, to tho Main Roads Board, that ia, ih...the, .metropolitan area only. , Jn the country, the police will continue to carry on the Work as hitherto, but will deal direct with the Main Roads Board, instead of with .the- Commissioner of Police. The new regulations ■ give the police wider powers in regard to the inspecting of motor: vehicles, m or«Jer :■ that. authorities may, satisfy themselves that the ..particulars given by.; the owners are accurate. A charge is made to manufacturers of motor _ vehicles 'of £5 a year ’for the first identification plate and £1 for each additional plate. Such cars must not bo driven on Sundays unless with the written authority of the secretary of the Main Roads Board. , WOLSELEY RECORDS. At Brooklands, on November 24, a Wolseley 10 horse-power car, driven by Captain A. G. Miller and Mr G. A. Vandervell, set up tho following new Brooklands class A records in the class under ISOOoo. 250 miles, 3fir 2min 54.925e0—82.00 miles per hour. 300 miles, 3hr 38min 4.95ec—82.54 miles per hour. 400 miles, 4hr 50min 43.99 sec—B2.ss miles per hour. 500 miles, 6hr 6min 46.375e0—81.79 miles per hour. 1 Three hours, 245 miles 1501 yards—Bl.9s , miles per hour, Four hours, 331 miles 480 yards—B2.B2 miles per hour. Fine - hours, 413 • miles 278 yards—B2.64 miles per hour. Six hours, 490 miles 393 yards—Bl.7o miles per hour. * Seven hours, 514 miles 1124 yards—73.37 miles per hour. • Eight hours, 514 miles 1124 yards—64.3s miles per hour. .. *lt will be noted that although the car only ran for just over 6i hours, its performance was sufficient to give it both the seven hours, and eight hours’ records. This is the eame car which broke the three hours and 250 miles’ record on October 27 last, a performance it has now considerably improved upon. In all its main essentials it is a Standard Wolseley: Ten, tho modifications made to suit track being comparatively slight. CORRECT OmD*G.~u-:r,’.v-' Mare than half of every pound spent on lubrication is thrown away not through overlubrication, but by using the wrong oil and grease, and oil of a poor quality. The best oil is not too good, and cheap oil is very poor baying in the end. Failure to change the oil in the engine and gear-box is the greatest mistake. Over-oiling is not a very great mistake, but not using enough is dangerous. The small cost qf oil to run a machine is hardly noticed; and ifi the end good oil will save the repair bill and the greatest item on the car—depreciation. The smallest sum spent on the car is for oiling, yet the repair bill and most of the depreciation depend directly on the oil. The small saving on buying cheap oil would not amount to more than a couple of pounds per year, but when buying think of the savhnr by getting the very best oil. A long hill climb will soon find out the cheap oil—over-heating, loss of compression, and very often a bearing or two come to grief It is not the amount of revolutions that wear, but the amount of friction. FEATURES OF THE SHOW. The chief motor cycle features seen at the great Olympia show are thus summarised : Lighter machines with a greater horsepower for weight ratio. • More accessibility of parts. A . very extended use of mechanical lubrication, particularly the very extensive use of the Best and Lloyd oil pump. Bigger side-car bodies on heavy machine to give more comfort for the family. Mora efficient large British engines than have ever hem seen.

A: more serious! attempt to give riding comfort by fitting super-sprung saddles and heavier typee. - A regrettably small accession to the makes of spring frames. Cheaper machines than was the case last year. Stronger and better frames. Improved front brakes. Fewer 3£ horse-power machines and ; a very large increase in those of 4 horse-power and 4i horse-power. Increased use of four-speed gear-boxes. More three-speed gears for “ baby ” solos. New typos of fool-proof gear boxes. Very marked development of tjie little and cheap side-car combinations, euoh as the O.K. Junior three-speed machine of but 292 c.o. Progressive improvement in such machines (quote as a type) as the Ariel, the 8.8. A., and the Enfidld. Stronger appeal by British makers to the sporting speedman fh both solos and sidecars. MOTOR CYCLE RECORDS. The British, speed records are still being attacked at Brooklands. On November ■l7 Herbert de Yack established new British records for a kilometre and a mile, both solo; and side-car. The highest speed recorded wa5'107.55 m.p.h. The following are the official figures:SOLO. see. ■ .; Kilometre ... ... ... ... 20.8 107.85 M.P.H. Kite '. 35,2 • 102.37 M.P.H. Mila in reverse direction 37.6 95.74 M.P.H. Average speed other directions 36.4 98.90 M.P.H. SIDE-OAB. Kilometre ... 25.48 86.70 M.P.H. Milo .... 42.4 84.91 M.P.H. Lo Yack had evidently got into form, as, On the next day, he went out and succeeded in', lowering the world’s side-oaf records for 10,. SO, and 100 miles, and also further increased the mileage-of tho one-hour record, as under j—' : ’ • - h. m. see. 10 miles ~ -. 0 7 64.81 75.82 M.P.H. 50 miles , ... _. 040 47.8 73.63 M.P.H. 100 miles ’ - ... ... 125 33.24 70.13 M.P.H. One hour; 69 miles 150 yards; 69.08 M.P.H. The .records on November 17 were made on an Indian eight-valve machine, and those on November 18 on a stock Indian Powerplus,. ; ; It is worthy of note that the new kilometre record stands as the highest speed attained by a motor-cycle in England. BENZINE FREIGHT RATES. “The freight on benzine by our New Zealand Railways is an imposition that the farmers don’t feel inclined to put up with any ■ longer,” says a northern .writer. “Several. meetings have been .; held ’in country places protesting against the excessive charges, per case, and the only, satisfaction they have, got is that' the -goods are dangerous. Of course thev are dangerous, but still it costs the Government no mom to carry benzine; they don’t provide’ any special wagons—only the usual ■wagon is used, and covered with a tarpaulin. Why. the extra .charge?. The usual goods wagons are in front, -and at the back of the benzine. Although the benzine is in a truck by itself tho risk is just as great. If a special train were put on for benzine alone the extra charge would be justified, an<J only on two days of each week will the Government carry benzine.' Is benzine safer one day more than another Motor cars do not use all the benzine imported here by any means. The farmers use more than half of the importations, and motor launches use' groat quantities. Motor lorries are competing with the trains between. Fox--tori and Wellington. The railway? charge 3s 8d per case; by motor lorry -2s. It fs cheaper to send.; benzine' to Hamilton by sending it to -T© Aroha by boat, then by motor lorry to’Hamilton, just double the distance arid more than double the handling. It is also cheaper to send benzine by motor lorry to Onehunga, then by boat to the VVaikato Heads, then on to Hamilton by river boats. The Government lose £4OOO per day in running the railways, end it-is easy to see where part of the money goes to.” MOTORING UP VESUVIUS. It is a -remarkable achievement to got up to the crater of Mount Vesuvius'in any way. One usually has to climb up on his hands and knees.,, However, a handsome Roljs-Rqyce saloon car, owned by C. A. H. Harrison, a London motorist, recently made the -ascent, when the oar carried the ex-Queen Amelie of Portugal and- H.R.H. the Duchess of Aosta. The royal rarty wore able to look down into the mouth of the crater from the oar. 'lhere is no road up. merely a track, scattered with lava boulders, and the gradient is very steep. The fact that the ascent necessitated half, an’ ...hour's. climbing on first speed, .will. give , some idea of the length arid, steepness of the' climb. Added to all this, (here is the- fact, that a large portion of ...the track is constantly covered with clouds, and consequently tho track is always wet and slushy. In spit© of, the slippery and loose state of the surface, neither in the ascent nor descent did the car slip at all, which reflects the very greatest credit to tho non-skidding, as well as the wearing, powers of the Goodyear, straight, side tyres, with which the "car was _ equipped. It is believed this is the only time a motor car has over made this remarkable climb. Chassis, coachwork. and tyres, alike were reported by the owner to have given the greatest satisfaction. SPARKS. It is a wise motorist who- knows his own car after some mechanics have overhauled it. When driving in heavy traffic use the lower gears. This prevents stalling the engine in a dangerous place. There have been nearly 11,000 motor cars and motor cycles registered with the Christchurch City Council. Use a very light grade of petrol in-winter months, as the highest tests evaporate, more freely at a lower temperature, i- • ■ ■'■-! - A horn, invented to be carried on the rear of a car, is sounded automatically when the car io moving backward. . Always keep batteries packed tightly. If they are allowed to rattle and-work loose, momentary short circuits will develop; “Motors have corps to teach 'ua geography —trains were, invented so that we need not know anything about it. The one enlarges the understanding; the other merely cramps the lags,” says an American writer. Stocks of motor spirit (gasoline) at the refineries in U.S.A on August 1 had fallen from the high record of 800,000,000 gallons on June 1. by: nearly 120,000,000 gallons. Present stocks;are about 217,000,000 gallons larger than those of a year ago. “Intefpfttionar politics to-day are oQ politics”—M.. Briand. “To promote their vast design these oil magnates are capable of starting revolution in Mexico, instigating civil W»r in Asia, or setting fire to Europeand the- world to crush competition.”—Lo Pet-role (Paris).. , U Worn 1 engine bearings can be detected by the oil" gauge' pressure. -As the bearings wear the 1 oil circulates more freely and the pressure drops. : If a persistent drop in pressure :a shown on the < gauge, and the regulator is known to be right, it is safe to assume engine bearing wear.. While the trick is a very old one, it is often not_ remembered that a small mirror is exceedingly useful to reflect a ray of light on a dark spot on a motor; for instance the breakerbox of a magneto. This ie particularly useful where the motor is not very accessible, and examinations have W be made at long range. Northern motorists have their interest centred on the evente to be decided at Muriwai Beach, Auckland, on February 25. Mr H. Nlattrass, of Wellington, the winner of the onp for tho 50-mile event, will defend the trophy with his eight-cylinder Cadillac. It is not known yet whether there will he any South Island competitors. A feature of the day »will bo a display of airplane stunts, and mowing -pictures of the races will be taken from the air.