THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19046, 17 December 1923, Page 4

THE MOTOR WORLD.

Motorists desiring information with regard to mechanical or other cor troubles, or on any matter coming within tho scope of the sport, pastime, or business of motoring are invited to send inquiries to " Accelerator.” Special efforts will be mode to give the most reliable advice on all topics of interest. THE CLARENCE BLOCK. “What is position crossing Clarence? Can oars be taken in punt or is bridge available ” This telegram, received by Mr J. S, Hnwkcs from Dunedin, is (says a Christchurch writer) typical of many that come to tho C’.A.A. regarding the northern route. Regretfully a reply has to lie given that there is little hope of making the crossing during the holidays. The position is regrettable, but nothing can be done. THE LOCAL ROADS. Tlie Christchurch-Dunedin road is reported tp be in fairly good order, but becoming rough in parts owing to the continuous dry weather. The road to Mount Cook is fairly good both via Geraldine and Gapes Valley to Fairlio and Geraldine via Timaru to Pairhe. The lake routes arc all open to traffic. Tho Manuk* Gorge, between iviilton and Lawrence, is not good on account of the in that vicinity having been washed away. Providing the weather keeps fine the streams are fordable. The best route to the lakes is that from Palmerston South via Alexandra. This road is coou. MOTOR HOGS. “Why can’t we get a system of dealing with motorists who deliberately offend other people on the road? - ’ was a question asked at a recent meeting of motorists. It was suggested that licenses should be taken from drivers who persistently broke the rule of the road. CMses were instanced where a speeding motorist would fly past a slower car and then travel at a snail’s pace and block the road. “Men who do that are pigs, not car drivers,” said a member. A NEW CAR. Last week Mr Keith Webling landed a Columbia Sis, a car new to Dunedin, but well established in the north. The Columbia comes from Detroit, having a sturdily-built chassis and an engine which is silent and especially flexible. Among other features of note the hand brake is very effective, operating at rear of the gear box. The Columbia is now on view at Mr Webling’s garage. A MOTOR HEN. A hen that has taken to motoring, and apparently enjoys it. has been found on a farm in Kincardshire. The farmer owns a car, and .he took it from its shed one day in order to drive to a meeting about three miles from his home. Unknown to him, the hen had perched on the back of the hood, and he was greatly surprised to find it calmly roosting there when he arrived at his destination. He left it undisturbed, and at the close of the meeting drove back to the farm with the hen still perched on the hood. It had not ruffled a feather all the time, and at the close of tho journey made its way to the henhouse. CAR DRIVING TESTS. Autocar on a new proposal in Britain: "It is to be observed that the old question of insisting upon applicants for motor vehicle driving licenses passing an examination to demonstrate their efficiency is once mere to the fore. As we have remarked on more than one occasion, the passing of an examination would not, in all probability, serve to show that the holder of the ’license was to be trusted in charge of a car. The great majority of accidents are directly attributable, not to the novice, but to the driver who is in some way reckless or negligent, though he probably has more than sufficient ability to pass any possible driving test.” THE FIRST JAPANESE CAR. Altnough the Japanese are generally ac-credited'-as an ingenious nation, it is rather iurprising to learn that they have only lecently turned their attention to the manufacture of motor cars. One overseas trade paper, the Goodyear News, states, inter alia: 'Completion of the first car specially designed and built for service, was made in Tokio just a few weeks prior to the disastrous earthquake. The machine is diminutive in rize, measuring 90in wheel base, tread 48in. and contains a 10 horse-power raptor. The reason for the building of such a miniature ear is to avoid_ the special •Japanese tax applying on cars with a wheel base of 120 in or more, as Well as to dodge the high cost of gasoline.” NEW CONTINENTAL RECORDS. All existing records were wiped out in the Grand Criterium of Rome, held from Vermicino to Rocca di Papa, over a hill a little more than nine miles in length. In tbo touring car section tho fastest ISOOc.c. machine was a Fiat 501, driven by La Porta, which climbed the hill in 14min 4 4-saec. In the 20€0c.c. class, the winner was Lazzaroni on an Ansaldo. in 12min 26 2-ssec, followed by Sandonnino on an Itala First two places m the SOOOc.c. class were won by Maraengo on a Spa in 12min 44sec. and by Angelini on a Lancia. Bianchi-Anderloni, on an Isotta-Frasohini, was the winner in the class for cars of more than 3000c.c.. his time being 12min 31 2-ssec. Racing cars ran separately, the fastest being Cataldi on a Fiat 501 in the ISOOc.c. class, and Masetti on a Bugatti in the 2000 c. o. division. AUTOMOBILE’S AVERAGE LIFE. Two years ago figures were published tending to show that the average life of automobiles was about 5 1-3 years. A compilation just completed in America ehows tho, life of the cars that were manufactured from the fall of 1911 to tho fall of 1915 to be ntiout 65 years. The statistics on which this result was predicated may be regarded as fairly accurate. • The increase in average age is attributed to the fact that there has been no striking developments in body design or important changes in mechanical features since 1912, with the result that there is a smaller tendency to retire a car before it has worn out. Other causes are: The improvement of roads, the multiplication of repair shops, the introduction of tho flat-rate system of car repairing, and the general education of automobile drivers. A HANDY REPAIR TIP. When the driving stud of a rim has been broken off and lost and the rim has got to go back on the wheel in that condition, the situation can be improved by running a quick-action' rim nut down on the valve stem after the casing is back on the rim (says the Goodyear News). Turn the rim nut upside down so that the male threaded part will go on first and fit down into tbe hole in rim thus protecting the valve stem from being chafed through by the rim hole and at the same time providing a driving stud for the rim. See that the rim nut is screwed down snug against the rim and if necessary you can run a bridge washer nut down the valve stem behind it. When a driving stud is missing from a rim the valve stem and lugs have to do driving stud duty, and when this is the case on a rear wheel the valve stem of the tube will be pulled out if the lugs are loose. NEW TYKE TRIALS. A trial by Mr S. F. Edge with a set of the new extra large cushion tyres, of which so much has been heard, showed a loss of one-half miles per gallon in fuel consumption at 25 m.p.h., and two miles per gallon at 35 m.p.h. A tendency to skid on wet roads was also noticeable. Writing of new big section, low' pressure tyres, which some tyre manufacturers are introducing, an English motoring journal says:—For the passenger, tho difference between normal and “comfort” tyres is as great as the difference between solids and pneumatics. The viewpoint of tho driver is somewhat special, and in taking over the car there was a feeling that steering would he found to be heavy. When turning in the garage, or when turning on the road, at a walking pace, there undoubtedly is an appreciable amount of drag; but for all speeds above ten miles an hour the steering with “comfort” tyres was incomparably better than with normal high-pressure tyres. MORE TIMBRE WANTED. Speaking of traffic control, an English writer observes that a distinct tendency to rigidity is still noticeable in many point policemen. What is wanted, of course, is a little more verve and timbre, with the hand rising and falling with the traffic sympbou*.

By ACCELERATOR. [ltem* of news—short descriptions of tours, the state of the roedjj etc., comment, cx inquiries will be welcomed by ‘Accelerator, i.

When we are more musical we shall understand that wave without hesitation. Thus : Allegro non Iroppo (“Go easy there, you Ford”). , . Appassionato, (“I’ll take your number tn a minute”). Andante (“Get a move on, Foden steam wagon”). . Con fuoco (“You two buses oan skip across"). , Allegro vivace (“You go on, Bike, if you re going to the left”). Adagio (“All right, Mb, take your time, vou’ll bo quite all right”). And Largo (“All together, lads; road clear”). But to attain this standard a baton would be necessary and a policeman would have to turn round and face his traffic more instead of ignoring them so pointedly as at present. He would, in fact, have to achieve a more intimate note. MOTOR CYCLE NOTES. Woodman has again uphold the reputation of the A.J.S. by winning the light-weight championship of New Zealand at the Marlborough meeting. Inner tubes should be carefully examined and ail patches that show a tendency to lift ■Oust be replaced. The recent hot weather has been playing havoc with old tubes in many cases, owners finding it more profitable to discard an old article and replace with a new one. Two prominent Australian riders will be found in the ranks of competitors at the takapuna meeting of the Auckland Motor Cycle Racing Club, One is Kennedy, quite a big 'gun” over there, and the other a speed merchant who will be selected from a series of tests conducted by the Australian A.C.U., which has been in touch with the N.Z.A.C.U. in this matter. In the recent English eastern centre open speed trial, G. Dance, riding a Sunbeam motor cycle, led all his opponents a merry dance in seven events, in live of which he gained premier awards on a 4.92 c.c. Sunbeam and two firsts on a 3.47 o.c. Sunbeam, as follows:—sso c.c. side-cars, opeh 600 c.c, side-cars, unlimited side-cars, 350 c.c. solos. ■>oo c.c. solos, 750 c.. solo#, and solo un limited. There was no one-slepping in .Jane’s dance. Results of recent South African speed tests are: West Rand, Club: H. Scott, 2J A.J.S. 70.03 m.p.h. The nearest competitor was a. Murray 10.12 h.p. xiarley-Davidson, 3-ssoc slower. Natal M.C.Club; Cohen. 21 A.J.8., 71.43 m.p.h.; Loader, 3i Norton, 74.33 m.p.h The times go to prove the claims of British manufacturers and the wonderful developnent of the email capacity engine. SPARKS. Auckland has reached the 12,300 mark in its motor registrations. As wo all have our ups and downs there will always be a market for shock-absorbers. Even gypsies in the United States now travel by motor caravan instead of horse caravans. Yes, Gwendoline, there is one thing more entertaining than watching two motorists, insisting that the other cross the street hrst. That’s seeing both of them try to cross simultaneously. Eddie Heame is the leading contender for the 1923 national speedway title of America. He has 1622 points, Jimmy -uurphy 1210, Harry Harts b2O, and Tommy Milton 810. It is expected that the draft of the Motor Vehicles Bill will be available for consideration by the automobile associations about the end of December. The pending lawsuit between Henry Ford and the Australian Lincoln Motor Company is set down for hearing this month. About 250 plates are to be used for colour sign marking of the main northsouth road in Canterbury and' Otago The colours to be used will bo cream and black. A Firestone pneumatic, tyre, 44in x lOin, claimed to be one of the largest in the world, was recently landed in Auckland. Benzine is selling at some of the filling stations in Dallas, Tex., for 9 cents a, gallon, while distilled water, such as is used to fill storage batteries, costs 10 cents a gallon, Birmingham is making an experiment by declaring certain narrow thoroughfares to be “one-way streets.” This seems to be the first introduction of one-way streets in Britain, though they are common in-the United States. Beeswax and turpentine will preserve and brighten shabby upholstery. Melt some beeswax in a tin, add just enough turpentine to make a mixture, the consistency of vaseline, and apply with a piece of rag or a brush. On a dry pavement, if a sudden and unusual stop must be made quickly, throw out clutch, apply foot-brake with full force, and assist with hand-brake. Keep your wits on your job. No time to get excited and lose your head. They have -run out of numbers for auto licenses in California, now that the 1.000,000 point has been passed, and so they resort to symbols. Thus 7 stands for the license number 1,000,007. Among the unique proposals to relieve the traffic congestion in New York City, it has been suggested that automobiles with even numbers on registration plates be allowed to operate three week days and odd numbers the other three days. Automobile horns arc not to be used in “calling husbands down.” is the latest order of Chicago traffic officers, especially directed at wives who come for their hubbies at the office buildings. The honking is confused with the police signals. A simple.way to find the firing order on the engine is, to open the priming cups or remove the spark plugs and paste a piece of paper over each opening. Then crank your motor. By noting the rotation in which the papers are blown off you will get the firing order of the, engine. King George’s motor cars do not carry number plates. When h>s Majesty is on a ceremonial tour bis car is distinguished by the royal standard badge, which is fixed in front. This badge is superseded by a small blue light on the canopy above the chauffeur’s head at night. A packet of whiting, which is very cheap, and a quantity of methylated spirits is the ideal combination for shiping up the nickeled or silver parts on a car. Mix them into a paste and apply, polishing when dry. In addition to giving a brilliant shine this paste, being free from acids, preserves tho fittings which it cleanses.The practice that exists in some parts of New Zealand in not insisting on tail lights for vehicles will receive a knock-out blow from the now regulations which the Internal Affairs Department has just drafted under the Motor Regulation Act.. Tho new regulation will provide that the lamp must show a red light and also show a whim light on every letter and humeral. “When I see a motorist, who I know won’t give way on the road, I always sway my car to right and loft across the road, and make him think I’m drunk” said a member of the Canterbury Automobile Committee at last week’s meeting. When the laughter had died down, the member explained that the ruse was really very effective, in fact ho had never known it to fail. The gear shift lever of a car is capable of an annoying kick back if the gears are carelessly shifted. A careless shift means one in which the gears trip over each other before the teeth actually mesh, during which process the gear shift lever will vibrato enough to give tho relaxed fingers of the driver a bad kick and perhaps injure one of them. Whether your shifting is good or bad, it’s safer to grasp the lover firmly. MONEY FUR FURNISHING. WIN A CORNWELL’S VINEGAR PRIZE. The manufacturers of Cornwell’s Pure Malt Vinegar are offering over £7O in prizes for recipes which include the use of their prodn t. Write to “Cornwell’s Vinegar Competition,” P.O. Box 325, Christchurch, to-day for full particulars. “Cornwell’s” is the vinegar with the definite food value. Made from the finest, purest grain. Mild, mellow, dear, and thoroughly matured. You will know it on the grocer’s shelf by its attractive bottle. Ask for it. Competition closes definitely March 10, 1924. Advt.