THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19146, 14 April 1924, Page 4

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR.

Motorists desiring information with regard to mechanical or other car troubles, or on any matter coming .within tto scope ot the sport, pastime, or business ol motoring aro invited to send inquiries to “Accelerator.' Hpecial etiorts will be made to give the most reliable advico on ail topics ot interest. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. The Big Tree Bulletin and Calendar for April, the former being informative and the latter convenient and artistic. An article “Petroleum in Now Zealand,” by 11. 11. Newton, F.G.1.. A.S.T M., manager of the petroleum products department of A, S, Paterson and Co., Ltd., makes the Bulletin especially welcome. The Overseas Highway Magazine is well up to its usual standard and contains much of interest to lovers of good roads. ROAD RACING LOSING FAVOUR. (Strong resentment towards motor roadracing wa.s shown by members of the Wellington Automobile Club at the last monthly meeting. One member, referring to the recent record-breaking motor run from Auckland lo Wellington, stated that it was only chance that carried the motorists through. Tremendous risks must have been taken by the driver going round some of the sharp corners of the road on the journey. NO TAX ON PETROL. Hie announcement- by Mr Massey that a petrol tax would not bo imposed will bo received with very general satisfaction. This decision is in line wnh the general opinion in motoring circles. At the recent conference wth members of the South Island Motor Union Mr 11. M. Wynyard said that there were certain obvious objections to the proposed petrol tax. It was not in such close relation to tile use of the road as was the tyro tax, ami it had also to be considered that electrically-driven vehicles, which were on the increase, would escape such a tax. THE WORLD’S MOTOR TRACKS. Up to within two or three years ago Great Britain was the only country in Europe which possessed a motor racing track; and Brooklands, despite its imperfections, was tne envy of all the other countries. Now, however, there are several important tracks in different parts of the world. In America there are Indianapolis, Norfolk (Virginia), and San Diego; in uermany. Gruncwald, near Berlin; in Denmark, Glostrup; in Italy, Monza; and in Spain, Silges, near Barcelona, the latest to be constructed. TYRE PROGRESS. Just at present (ho motoring world is agog with interest over the introduction of enormous low-pressure tyres variously known ns the balloon, cushion, and comfort tyres. It is universally admitted that, t.hey afford increased insulation from road shocks. On the other hand, the critics are assert.ng that thev can throw mud 2MI high at quits normal road speeds, that they increase petrol consumption, ancl that they do not facilitate re-starting from rest on a sleep gradient. . ... , ’ Perhaps the most interesting claim yet put forward in their interests was broached at a recent winter trial. There some car drivers claimed that on the big low-pres-sure tyres they could make clean ascents of hills whore whoelspin would stop a normally tyred car unless it used_ chains. If there is much foot under this claim, a largo low-pressure tyro should be yalunblo on motor cycles, both in hill-climbing and to minimise sideslip. BROKEN RIM STUD. When (he 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 bo improved by running n (juick action rim nut down on the valve stern after the casing is back on the rim, says Goodyear News. Turn the rim nut upside down so that the mole threaded part will go on first and fit down into the hole in run. thus protecting the valve stem from being chafed through bv the rim hole, and at the same time providing a driving stud for the run. See that the rim nut is screwed down snug against the rim and if necessary you can run a bridge washer nut down the valvo stem behind it. . . . f When a driving stud is missing from a rim the valve stem and lugs have to do driving stud duty, and when this m ho case on a rear wheel the valve stem of the tube will bo pulled out if the lugs aro loose. MOTOR MOTTOES. An ounce of attention is worth a pound An filing a day keeps the repair man away. Look before you back. Spare tRo oil and spoil the car. A tool in the kit is worth a thousand in the garage. . Service is as service does. Fools rush in where experts fear to A little knowledge of electrical systems is a dangerous thing. _ , An ounce of instruction may save a pound of repair. . . . A skid to (lie wise is sufficient. To those may bo added: You cannot neglect your car and expect it to run. Goodyear News. VALUE OF REGRINUTNG. Athough a smoky exhaust is one of (ho most obvious signs that the cylinders have worn oval, general debility, excessive carbonising, sluggish running, lack ot compression, and heavy petrol eonsumption aro other well-known .symptoms of tho trouble, which may occur in cases whore metal is soft after only a few thousand miles running. The wear generally takes place at the top of the cylinder, which then assumes an oval shape, tho oval being more pronounced on the side opposite the valves, and gradually decreasing towards the mouth of tho cylinder. In these circumstances it is obvious that, however welt fitted the pislon rings may be to the mouth of tho cylinder, the gap between tho ends of the rings must be excessive when the enlarged top of the bore is reached. Consequently, regrinding forms tho only satisfactory remedy. It is obvious that when cylinders have been ground to ton, twenty, or thirty thousandths of an inch larger bore, now’ pistons rings, and gudgeon pins have to bo fitted. In the case of one cylinder being more worn than the others, those with less wear aro bored out to the same extent as tho most worn one, so that all pistons are of the same weight, and all compression spaces similar Aluminium pistons are now corning much into use, and for replacement in rcbored cylinders have much in their favour. Being much lighter than cast-iron, the weight of the moving parts is very materially reduced. The necessity for having crankshafts reground is becoming more popular, for after long wear tho crank pins become oval, so that no amount of bedding in tho big-end bearing will have any lasting effect until the shaft is itself true. lIUTT ROAD FEES. Tho special fees levied by the Wellington City Council for the purpose of paying for tho reconstruction of the Hull road aro now payable. It must bo realised—many people are not aware of it yet —that these fees do not apply only to motorists who utilise the road. Without a toll-gate system it would, of course, bo impossible to make them so apply, and actually the charge, is to be paid by all who use automobile vehicles of any kind in the city, the boroughs of Lower Hutt, Petone, and Eastbourne, the town districts of Johnsonvjllo and Upper Hutt. and the counties of Makara and Hutt. The fees Aro payable on or before May 1: and it is provided that no person shall drive a motor vehicle in any of,these areas unless he curries a receipt for tho fee. The scale of fees is: — Motor waggon not having rubber or other similar approved tyres. £5, Waggon having rubber or approved tyros, £3. Motor .del ivory van, £2. Motor car, £1 10s. Motor cycle, 10s. Individual owners of vehicles cannot be systematically served with demands for those fees, because the city’s motor registration system is inexact, and does not actually show what vehicles are in use or even whether they exist. The levy of the fee will, however, result in a proper registration list coming into existence almost automatically, because (here will be an annual tally of vehicles through the payment of the special charges. The absence of a definite registration should not, however, induce anyone to attempt to evade payment. The risk of doing so is obvious. As very few motorists in this district leave tlte Hutt

{Ztanui of nows- —abort descriptions of tours, the ntate of the roods, stc., comment, or inquiries wilt bo welcomed by “Accelerator, t

road nnpatronised, the levy will scarcely touch anyone' who gets no benefit from the improvement now in progress; and most people who have been over the bitumen paving are well satisfied that the foes are a welcome substitute for repair bills. A DRIVER'S DIARY. During a fortnight’s tour of the south Mr R. H. Parker kept a diary, which ho has scut, to “Chassis” of Christchurch Hun. March 8, left Christchurch for Fairlie, via Hororafca, Wind whistle, Rakaia Gorge, Geraldine, thence to Fairlie, the roads being good, particularly between Geraldine and Fairlie. Sunday.—Left Fairlie for the Hermitage in the pouring rain, the roads under wet conditions being verv unfavourable. Ine last 10 miles were intersected with creek:; of a fair depth. me accommodation at the Hermitage at present, is exceptionally good, and the scenery well worth the trip. Tuesday.—Loft the Hermitage for Tarras, being a ‘fair day’s ride, as the roads particularly between Lake Pukaki and Umiiraraa, were unfavourable for making good touring time. The ruggetlness ot the Lindis Pass appeals to motorists, but should bo taken carefully, particularly after ram On approaching the Lower Lindis I as« a largo car should take the stream in preference lo the small black bridge which is difficult to negotiate, the approach being

very narrow. Wednesday.—Left Tarras for Queenstown, stopping at Pembroke to view Bake Wanaka, and lo take n run around the lake lo Glen Dhu, which is an ideal picnic spot (eight miles distance): then proceeded on our way through the Cardmna galley, crossing the river 14 times, which is easy lo negotiate: and thence proceeding over the Crown Range, which is a stiff climb, 5300 ft above sea Icvci. From the range, a very fine view, well worth the climb.' is obtained of Queenstown and surrounding districts. If the road via Arrowtown and Queenstown bo taken, numerous zig-zags are encountered, the surface being good unless wot. Queenstown affords several days’ sight-seeing. Saturday.—Left Queenstown for Roxburgh, via Cromwell and Clyde, this day’s .un being over fairly good roads, through very rough and rugged country, following the Kaiwarau River for some 30 odd miles. The latter portion of (he journey to Roxburgh is well named the Fruit Lands by the miles of orchards that border the road. Adequate garage accommodation is to bo had at Roxburgh, which is quite a prosperous little centre. Sunday. .—Left Roxburgh for Dunedin, vit Beaumont, Lawrence, and the Bullock Track, which is impassable for motorists in wet weather. The descent, though only

of approximately, 200 yards, is the steepest of the whole trip. Thence via Milton and the Taieri into Dunedin. Several days ware spent in Dunedin, Thursday.—Left by the main road branching- into Waimnte, thence to Timaru, the run over Molint Cargill and around Kartigi Beach being particularly interesting. Leaving Timaru Friday morning for Christchurch, via Mayfield, Stavelev, Mount Homers, -Rakaia Gorge, completed a very fine fortnight’s tour through exceptionally interesting country, covering 1090 miles, without trouble ot any description. MOTOR CYCLE NOTES. In the last London to Exeter Reliability Trial 186 motor cycles completed, 303 solo and 83 side car. In Berlin recently a race for "ladies only” was included in tho programme of a motor cycle race meeting. Over 300 Douglases were landed at Sydney last week ; 1100 orders have been lodged from the State. During tho recent London traffic strike mol or cycle* proved invaluable, even tho Labour organisations using them to transport their members A floatless semi-automatic carburettor of novel design has boon devised by an English engineer. Increased economy and efficiency are claimed. The Indian manufacturers have forwarded to George Lambert a cheque for £SO and a gold medal, in appreciation of his brilliant and consistent beach riding. According to a recent police census the mimbot of vehicles passing Hyde Park corner daring a spacx» of 32 hours has increased from 36.775 in 1919 to 56,039 in 1923. It is estimated that there are about 50,000

motor cycles in Italy, irepresonting an increase since the end of 19ji2 of 90C0 machines. The British makes imported last- year totalled about 2500. Air Henry Ford prophesies that 10 years hence “everyone will have a motor car and will ho able to it” and “underground railways in New York and other largo cities will be used as parking spaces.” Many cars still refuse to dim lights when approaching a dimly lit motor cycle. Riders when up against this sort of treatment are beginning to take matters in their own bands lo remind the offenders of their duty. This year tho English Stock Machine trials are to bo limited to trade riders. The trials are to be held early in tho season, and as each machine will bo in charge of an export driver the .buying public will be enabled to gain a very good idea of tho possibilities of the make they fancy. SPARKS. When a short circuit occurs, heat will always generate at tho point of trouble. So far 42 new members have enrolled for tho O.A.A, this month, making a total of 200 in throe months. In England petrol is sold to motorists in two gallon cans. The petrol goes through a system of rigid inspection and tho purity is absolutely assured and the measure guaranteed.

According lo the figures of the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (here were 60,194 automobiles in Spain at the end of .luno, 1923. Madrid and Barcelona had 10,895 and 10.995 cars respectively. American tourists spend approximately £200.000,000 annually for gasoline, anil £90,000,000 for lyres. The annual doprociatuou of cars is computed on an estimated investment of £1,755,500,000 in motor vehicles

To prevent rnud being splashed during wot weather a spbisliless automobile wheel has been designed in Paris. Tho device consists merely of a circular brush mounted on an axle of the wheel extending nearly to its circumference. The brush acts as a guard to receive the mud tfirown to tho side by the tyro Tyre spreaders can be made of various sizes to meet the demands of the repair shop. For this purpose wood will servo best. 'These should be made about ten inches long, three inches wide, and one inch thick. The stopdowrig for various tyre sizes can be made to any length that mav be found convenient for tho work. A very small amount of belt compound, applied to the pulley surfaces of the fan belt, will etop it from slipping. The compound is a sticky substance used in machine shops, power plants, and factories to insure tho gripping of tho pulleys by the belt with sufficient force to transmit the power without slipping. There are 108 British makes of passenger cars and 77 foreign makes on tho market in England, France leading among the latter with 38, and tho United States taking second place with 19. It is estimated that fully onehalf of the cars in use in Great Britain are of foreign manufacture, principally American, French, and Italian, A Maori motorist up Blenheim way had trouble with his car. Another motorist offered to low him, but the Maori said he would get her going. Three hours later the motorist returned to find the Maori still tinkering about. “Why did you take your boots off?” asked the motorist. “I took them off,” said too Maori, “because 1 was afraid I might lose my temper and kick it to pieces.” Despite the fact that tho law prohibits tho use of spot lights, in England, thousands aro in oaily use. Occasionally a prosecution arises, but tne absurdity of this is uemonstrated by tho fact that magistrates themselves have publicly stated their belief in the utility of these fitments. The Royal Automobile Club is now in communication with the Home Secretary with a view io obtaining legality for spot lights. An Alsatian chemist has invented a new fuel made from charcoal, to take the place of petrol gas in internal combustion engines. The apparatus which manufactures the gas on the vehicle is at present too cumbersome to apply to small cars, and therefore, presumably, to motor cycles. A lorrv ran 218 miles on tho gas at a cost of 4s. ‘

Many motorists arc inclined to wear themselves out worrying about the possibility of their cars wearing out. They stew and fuss from morning unul night about this squeak and that noise, and what makes the car do this and sound nko that, until tney have so agitated themselves that they have lost all power of enjoying themselves, their fine car, and the file that, the motor made bo delightful.

The provision of motor ambulances in order to speed up Ulo removal of mine accident cases to hospital, is proceeding apace in the North Country of England. The latest purchase is at Wheatley null Colliery, where the officials have taken delivery of a Dodge Brothers vehicle. The car, which cost £441, was bought jointly by the colliery owners and the men, and will also be available for urgent cases of illness as well as for mine accidents. A name familiar lo early motorists was that of Mr William John Leonard, senior partnier in the firm of Carless, Capel, and Leonard, whose will has just been proved at £389,023. Mr Leonard’s firm first called motor spirit “petrol,” and specialised in the production of the .680 gravity. So important was the s.g. of petrol to the pioneer motorist that many will recollect that it was very usual to carry a densimeter to make quite sure that the correct fuel was being obtained. THE MURIWAI MOTOR RACES. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The letter of Mr J. G. Phillips is too absurd to answer in detail, but I will say this, that 1 am prepared to compete against a standard Ford car altered as mentioned by Mr Phillips in any event or events the Otago Motor Club will nominate and for any sum lie may state, the winner to hand the amount of the stake to the Dunedin Hospital. The cost of the necessary alterations in the standard Ford over and above those mentioned by Mr Phillips would buy two Ford cars. —I am, etc., S. de Beer. Dunedin, April 11. RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —As rating on unimproved value will shortly be a burning question in the city, I would suggest that a couple of copies of the town clerk’s full report lie placed in the Public Library for perusal by the public. At present, ns far as the ordinary man is concerned, it is unprocurable. Councillors are averse lo parting with their own copy, and the two or three employees at the ’Town Hall I have spoken lo on this matter aro dumb. I hope Mr Levviu will see his way clear to carry out this suggestion.—l am, etc.. Lex.

Dunedin, April 11. Parents! Keep tho kiddies free from colds. “NAZOL” taken on sugar or inhaled is a sure protection. Sprinkle baby's pillow. Is 6d for 60 doses.—Advt.