THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20799, 19 August 1929, Page 4

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR.

FIXTURES. * . ■ OTAGO MOTOR CLUB. September 10.—Monthly general meeting. Address by Mr James Young (Timaru) on “The Battery and Ignition.” MOTOR CYCLE SECTION. August 21.—Monthly meeting. September 7.—Speed ■' judging contest, September 18.—Monthly meeting. October 16. —Monthly meeting. October 28.—Labour Day trial. November 9.—Dirt track (date subject to confirmation). November 20.—Monthly meeting. November 23.—Beach races. December 7.—Waimate rally. IMPROVED SPEEDS. Two noteworthy performances proving the great advantage of good roads■and the modern type automobile was demonstrated by two fast trips .to Sydney from Melbourne, over the Hume Highway. A woman motorist in a Sedan, with three passengers, completed‘the journey (565 miles) in 15 hours 14 minutes, while another motorist did the same trip in an eight-cylinder Sedan, iwith two lady passengers and luggage, in 14 hours 20 minutes. • Not many years ago these times would have been inter-State records. They are now within less than four hours of the present record (10 hours 24 minutes) -held by a specially tuned and stripped chassis. It is interesting to recall the" fact that the first interstate motor car record between these capitals was 25 hours 40 minutes, established in 1907. - . TYRE CARE. Unquestionably there is considerable waste amongst motorists generally, owing to Jack of knowledge of the care of tyres and appreciation of the fact that tyre life depends considerably on the manner in which, motorists drive their cars. A very interesting and instructive 16-page booklet has just been issued by the Dunlop Perdriau Co., entitled “Tyre Mileage,” which is well worth obtaining from your' garage or from any of the company’s branches and depots. The purpose of this booklet is to suggest to motorists the various means whereby tyre life may be prolonged, and expenditure on replacements reduced to a minimum. The most common causes of tyre failure and the way they may be avoided is briefly described, whilst a series of bints on pneumatic tyre upkeep adds increased value to the publication. Tyres are an expensive item in car inaintainance, and motorists who read and follow the advice offered in this little booklet, which Is obtained for the asking, will certainly gain knowledge of how to avoid tyre waste. AMERICAN ENTERPRISE. American manufacturers of automobiles are to-day assembling passenger cars in 155 plants scattered throughout the world. Of these plants 87 are located within the United States and 08 in other countries. An assembly plant is arbitarily taken to mean any plant where a completed automobile leave the plant under its own power. The list therefore includes plants where the oar is completely built from the ground up. as well as.plants where engines, chassis units, and bodies arc received from other plants pud aseinbled , into completed cars; Australia has the-largest number of assembly plants for American automobiles of any one country, while Canada is a close second with nine plants to Australia's 11. It is noteworthy that it is the policy of those companies to purchase as much as possible of the-material necessary for building their 'cars as near- theii assembly plants as is, teasible. _■ Establishing those plants in Australia does not mean the Americanisation of Australian industry, but rather • the. Austvalianisation of American concerns. With the production in Australia of rubber cloth and leather cloth at Deer Park (Victoria) a new factory recently opened—the margin ,of motor car components that need to be imported ‘ decreases. The parts of cars now made in the Commonwealth include bodies, mudguards, bonnets, wind screens, lamps, batteries, spark plugs, springs, and‘tyres. ’ MOTORING ERRORS. During the last six months of 1928 motor. vehicle drivers in Great Britain paid £97,603 in fines for an aggregate of 135,241 offences. Most of the offences, were trivial, 108,857 relating to mere breaches of regulations such as lighting and parking. The real breaches of the [aw, such as drunkenness, manslaughter, driving recklessly, and exceeding speed limits numbered 26,384. The total figures show that 4.5 per cent, of the drivers on the road were prosecuted, including 3.6 per cent, for minor breaches of regulations. The most prevalent crime, according to the return, is in connection with lighting, the offenders in that category being 30,078. Nest is licensing, 17,350,- obstruction, 14,183; driving negligently, J"*:o76; silencer offences, 12,422; other motoring offences, 11,825; exceeding speed limit, 11,022; ineffective brakes, 7764; registration and identification marks, 5897; failure to stop on request, 3338;. drunk in charge, 926; failure to stop after accident, 406; manslaughter. 36; causing bodily harm by furious driving, 18.CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS. Interesting figures covering motor vehicle accidents in New South Wales during the past nine months, compiled by the N.R.M.A., indicate the directions in which care- is needed and in which greater supervision by the- police is required. Failure to grant the right-of-way is shown to be responsible foi by far the greatest number of accidents, the number, 723, being twice as great ns that arising from any other cause. Second on the list, the item “ colliding with pedestrians,” numbers 343. Other causes are: Misjudgment, 300. Hit while stationary, 300. Theft, 206. Skidding, 195. Cutting corners, 186. Following too closely, 180. Failure to signal, 100. Inattention, 150. . Operating too fast for conditions, 144. Careless backing, 122. Driving on wrong side of road 100. Fire, 88. ’ Confusion, 80. Cutting in, 77. Runaway, 71. Mechanical breakdown, Cl. Passing on wrong side of vehicle, 60, Passing on curve, 50. Passing on hill, 50. Intoxication, 9, VICTORIA IMPORTATIONS. Despite the industrial depression during I the past financial year, the importation of motor cars, bodies, and parts into Vic- | toria in 1928-20 reached a total value of j £3,072,308, according to the records of the ' Victorian branch of the Customs department. In practically all sections the totals I exceeded those of the previous year, and ! as usual the feature of the returns is the preponderance of cars of American manufacture. During the year 4460 bodies valued at £456.388, were imported, compared with 2503 and £314,170 in 1927-28.

Iltant of aewa—short descriptions, of tours, the state of the roads, rtfc, comment, or inquiries will be welcomed by Aoceleretos. ’J

Included in Inst year’s total was 130 bodies (£16,911) from Great Britain, and 3253 (£345,428) from the United States. The effect of the tariff is shown in the large value of unassembled chassis imported, the number having risen from 14,911 (£1,338,082) in 1927-28 to 27,716 (£2,296,159) in 1928-29. From the United Kingdom 3784 such chassis, valued at £478,146, were imported, compared with 15,577 (£1,216,292) from the United States, and 8224 (£580,178) from Canada. The assembled- chassis imported mimbered 2741 (£429,092), compared with 3471 (£497,933) the previous year. Only 150, valued at £39,364, were imported from Britain, while 2412 (£345,529) were brought from the United States. The value of chassis parts imported rose from £81,639 to £90,669, of which America supplied £45,786, Canada £17,374, and the United Kingdom £14,126.

drink and driving. British legislation admits no degrees of intoxication specially applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle. In New Zealand it is necessary only to prove a “state of intoxication,” and this may be a condition by no means approaching drunkennoss-. ' s obviously a wise distinction and it gives power to deal with the driver, who would .be inclined to drive while slightly befuddled with drink. The higher standard for car drivers is justified. The drunken pedestrian usually risks only his own life. Magistrates in New Zealand are fortunate in this far-reaching law, and naturally since it allows them a wide discretion, there must also be varying penalties to suit the degrees of intoxication, which may be proved, or the extent to which . a motorist may have imperilled others.- There are, of course,-people who would fly in th-e face of common sense P r °kibH the consumption of the most harmless quantity of liquor by a driver.. There have been appeals for .sterner measures for intoxicated drivers, but when the position Jn England is considered, New Zealand can claim to have very effectively provided for deterrent penalties. TFie onlooker v/lio gets concerned at the cases which arc reported is liable to consider they relate to “drunken ” drivers.- This is often not the ease, and the motorist would pass unchallenged in any crowd if lie were on foot. Medical evidence is often in conflict in' these cases, and care has to be taken that a nervous state is not assumed to have been produced by liquor. Tliere is nothing in the British code to deal with the slightly befogged driver. . he would escape arrest as a pedesti lan he commits no offence as a driver, it bqs been held many times that the law does not require a higher degree of sobriety in persons driving cars than in pedestrians. One must be definitely drunk, and not merely in a condition, which a police surgeon might consider detrimental to driving. In the Marylobone Police Court, recently a medical witness - expressed the opinion that a defendant was unfit to be in charge of a car. The magistrate corrected him and gave his interpretation of the law as follows; Tou must not take the car into consideration. All you have to say is: r aS J Ie ( f | ’ could he co-ordinate his faculties, speak properly, do anything he could do ordinarily ... The man must be so drunk as to justify his arrest in the street for disorderly conduct.'”

INTERNATIONAL CONTROL. The news is-now to hand . that the American Motor Cycling Association proposes to join the F.1.C.M., the body governing British and Continental motor cycle matters. One of the most important results of such affiliation would be that records made in America would be officially recognised by the F.1.C.M., and jo included in the European lists; in order words, American riders would be able to make attempts on existing Continental and British records. The United States has from time to time produced some remarkable recordi 6 ] j 11 1? nl "ichibes, and it may .be recalled that a few years ago it was claimed that a sta(* rider had accomplished a speed far in excess of any in Europe. This record could not be “recognised,” though there eccmed little doubt of its authenticity.

MOTOR CYCLE NOTES. The motor cycle section of'the'. Otago Motor Club will hold its monthly meeting in the club room, Moray place, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday next. * * Over 200 men from, nil ranks of the navy, army, air force and civil service competed in the annual English motor cycle “Services Trial.” * * * In a recent sound , news reel presented at a London kinema a motor cycle hillclimb was included, and the noise of the machines as they roared up the gradient was faithfully reproduced. * # * Ihe Gorman Silencer Competition is proving very successful, 127 different types having , already been entered. The tests are likely to extend over a long period, as entrants have had six months to submit- designs. s{s - -/■- The Southport “100,” a race run annually on the beach at Southport, England, over a 100-tnile course, was won by J, H. Simpson (400 c.c. A.J.S.). Simpson wag unchallenged in the latter stages of the race. British export trade in motor cycles continues to flourish. April returns, at £465,416, show an increase of £62,190 over the corresponding figures last year, while the four months’ total of £1,630,320 is in advance of 1928 figures by no less than £200,293. Imports were comparatively negligible, being only £1024 for the month of April. * * 5* In a recent road race conducted near Rome, in Italy, British machines ridden by Italians performed very creditably. W. L. Hoodley (Motosacoche) won the 250 c.c. race, while Velocettes obtained second, third, and fourth places in the 350 c.c. event. The senior, or 500 c.c. race, was s complete British victory, the placings being: Rudge-Whitworth 1, Sunbeam 2, Norton 3, Sunbeam 4. * * # The second national reliability championships of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland was decided recently. The test extended over 24 hours, and was so severe that no side-car rider succeeded in gaining sufficient marks to warrant a first class award. The championship was won by G. Myles (498 , c .c. A.J.S., solo), and H. Tyrell-Smith (490 c.c. RudgeWhitworth) side-car class. SPARKS. There is ,a petrol station at nearly every oasis on the Sahara Desert, providing refuelling places for both camels and cars. '* * * In planning a general overhauling of the car,’ the first points to be considered are: Grinding the valves, removing the carbon, and cleaning the spark plugs, these three points will prove most beneficial in producing a sweet-running motor * * * It you haven’t tried Big Tree Motoi Spirit yet there’s a new delight in driving ahead of you.—Advt.

Fifty-sis new members were elected to the_ Canterbury Automobile Association at its last meeting. * # * To demonstrate tbe devastating effect on tyres of too enthusiastic braking, a rubber company in England recently ruined a set of tyres in 108 miles. This was done by abnormal braking, the car being stopped every quarter of a mile, from a speed of 35 m.p.h. * * « A dirty light }>u]b will burn out more readily than a clean one. This is explained by the fact that the dirt does not allow sufficient radiation of the'heat developed by the filaments, and the excess heat shortens the life of these delicate wires. Joe didn't listen, look, or stop. They dragged his flivver to the shop. It only took a week or two. To make the car look good as new. But though they hunted high and low. They found no extra parts for Joe. * * * Everywhere in town; miles out on touchroads. Big Tree Pumps deliver bigger and smoother mileage to discriminating motorists.—Advt * * * While staying with a friend in the country Robinson observed that one of the cats possessed only a short, stumpy tail. “Manx? ”he asked. “No, motor car,” replied his friend. J ** n 5 3$ The municipal pawnshop of Paris received no fewer than 769 cars in pledge during 1928. It appears that the services of my aunt,” aa they term “my uncle ” in France, are chiefly resorted to in the winter months, when owners have less need of their cars than in summer, and pawn them in lieu of paying garage charges. The loans averaged £22 per car. * * * Apparently Barcelona is the- ideal spot both for car owners and those who travel by taxi. If a private owner has a puncture or is otherwise “ en panne,” he has merely to becken to a taxi driver, who will dismount and effect the sary repair, merely charging the amount recorded on in's time meter! Taxi drivers, moreover, accept no tips, nor charge for distance if, summoned by telephone, and they help with luggage! * * * To remove dry mud stains from the radiator shell grease the part that is stained allow to remain on for several ~-C - *cS then rub off with t rag saturated nith ammonia. Should the stains -wove too obstinate for the treatment they should be carefully damped with a little diluted hydrochloric acid and wiped dry quickly. The surface should then be washed with dean water ami rubbed up with ponsmmr powder. Music in the motorist's car—the soft, ihj thmic hum of the smooth runniuc engine powered by Big Tree—Advt.

MOTOR NOTES FROM GREAT BRITAIN. By “ R. A. C.” THE VICTORY AT LE MANS. One of the finest fillips that has ever been given to the British motor industry was the Bentley performance in winning the 24-Hou Grand Prix d'Endurance International Road Race at Le Mans for the third time in succession. In addition to filling the first four places in the race, the same make won the RudgeWhitworth Cup for the first time for Britain. In the Grand Prix the winning car was the 6i litre model driven alternately by Captain oolf Barnato and H. 11. g. Birkin, which covered the remarkable distance of 1765 miles in the 24 hours, at the record speed of 73.6 m.p.h. The other three Bentleys were 4J litre fourcj Under models, one of them being the original car which first ran at Le Mans vr'° J tL aVS ago> ancl craslj ed, then won, the Moutlhery 24-honr race, and subsequently won last year’s Le Mans race. As this race is continued throughout tlic hours of darkness, • the question of lamps is of the utmost importance, and it is to be noted that the victorious Bebtlcys placed their faith in Lucas higbpower mirror projectors. In these lamps there are two reflecting surfaces an optically ground and polished mirror and a parabolic reflector giving a magnificent high-power light which . carries a tremendous distance ahead, and floods the width of the road near the car with a more diffused light. 39 M.P.H. FOE 24 HOURS. The magnificent victory at Le Mans, coming so soon after Mrs Victor Bruces single-handed 24-hour run with the "44'’ Bentley at Montlhery, j s rather apt To overshadow it, but actually, of course, it was a very fine achievement. The car XT - H9 f GB mi,cs > averaged 89 ST m.p.h. for 24 hours, taking the 3000-5000 c.c. class record from the CW Jer, The track is unlighted, and Mrs Bruces car was entirely dependent on its own Smiths lighting se t for illumination during the night. WHAT IS YOURS? It is curious how various ways of describing types of cars, come into vogue. Nowadays it is the habit to refer to the small cars by their horse-power, such as the Austin 7 or Standard 9.- whereas, when speaking about their larger brothers with six cylinders, they are almost always referred to as the “ So and so Six. This led to an amusing incident recently when a non-motorist was contemplating the purchase of a small 7 h.p. car. A tnend mentioned casually what a fine car the Standard “Six'’ was and the neophyte at once went off to the, local agents to see this model thinking that as" it was less than the seven ”it might suit him even better as regards garage accommodation H,s surprise when he saw the Standard 15 h.p. six-cylinder model may be imagined. AFTER THE T.T. RACES. th f j ho tourist tw >phy races inthe Isle of Man are completed it i 8 possible to review the results and study the lessons presented. These races subject a machine to the most punishing test possible, for not only is the engine tried to its utmost capacity, but every oilier tIC n,achine —frame, gearbox, clutch, brakes, magneto, chains, controls -everything down to the last nut and pm is tested in a like degree. Specmly prepared a s these machines are, they provide information for the makers the results of which are woven into the standard products sold to the great motor cycling public. Once again the results generally refleeted the -amazing reliability of the modern British motor cycle, while perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Senior Race was the excellent performance pu up by the 350 c.c. machines !)rotherg etltlon *heir more powerful It may be wondered why the Ariel people iio not enter their machines in tie 4.1. races, but while they realise their importance, they have made it a definite rule not to enter, preferring to carry out their own private work’s tests and road reliability tests, which they find enable them to supply machines possessing the utmost reliability at low cost, the preparation and entry of motor cycles for the T.T. races are very cxponsne items m any manufacturing pronotmtT’E,an Ariel Co prefers ”, * lts Production costs with the additional expense. It is significant that the A.O.U. selected aix Ariels, some with' sidecars, for the use of its officials in the Isle of Man