THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21053, 16 June 1930, Page 4

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR.

OTAGO MOTOR ' CLUB—MOTOR CYCLE SECTION. -• FIXTURES.' June 18. —Monthly meeting. June 28.—Sporting trial. , . July 12. —Club run. SOUTHERN ROAD COMPLAINTS. Mr E. Howlison, of Dunedin, called on “ Chassis ” when, in . Christchurch last week. He complained of the bad state of southern roads in - comparison with those of the North Island, where the money seemed to be spent’ wisely on the highways. A large amount of money has been spent on the Kilmog, and me work is far from complete. The Merton road near Waikouaiti is in a bad state, and from Henley to Milton the road is deplorable. From Ba.clutha thole extends 13 miles of loose shingle over corrugations, the road being a positive danger at night. He thought North Islanders drove too fast and; carelessly. SOUTHLAND MOTOR ASSOCIATION The annual report and balance sheet prepared in attractive form, and adopted at the annual meeting, are to hand. The report is a record of substantial progress, showing that the association is alive to its opportunities, and is itself in a healthy state. Membership of the association shows a large increase over last year. Resignations upon account o. various causes have been received from members, and after deducting the names of these the number of members at March 31,_ 1930, was 1994, but during the interim has increased to 2031. “ Whilst the progress of‘the association ha? been fairly rapid,” says the report, “ it has to be pointed, out . that there are still a number of motorists in Southland wnn havei.not yet joined up as members.’’ Outlining ■a . recent experiment in service, the report says:—“ During the- recent Easter holidays the association’s road officer was appointed to patrol cu tain roads in the district for one, week and he reported having given assistance to 42 motorists during this period. This provision of free road patrol service for the benefit of the motoring public has been , taken up seriously by two larger associations —viz. ? Auckland and Otago—■ and the service is reported to have been very successful bn the roads adjacent to these more' thickly populated centres.” PREVENTING - RUSTY: RIMS. A somewhat, common trouble experienced in’connection with tyres in winter months is that of rusty rims, particularly where the car is used over muddy roads during a long wet season. The edges of the casing often become rusted on to the rim of the ‘ wheel, and may even be damaged when the tyre is removed. Accodingly' all four tyres should be taken off before , the wet weather starts, and the wheel rims should be liberally coated with graphite paint. The inner tube also will give better service if it is properly cared for. No grit or,dirt must be left inside the casing, since even a small piece of grit will cause considerable abrasion on the soft rubber of the inner tube. Before replacing a tyre the inside of the cover should be carefully brushed, out: while it is a good plan also to dust lightly the tube with French chalk. With these precautions the motorist should be reasonably free from trouble. LIGHT CAR TRIAL PROPOSED.If suggestions are made and intending competitors rally round, the Canterbury Automobile Association may hold a light motor-car trial- or some form of driving competition. The question was discussesd at the meeting of the association last week.. ■, . Mr J. S. Hnwkes said that no trial or competition had been held. Several members had spoken about a trial, but no suggestions bad been made. A member said that if the light oar trial eup was for one year, then it should be “called in.” Mr W. R. Carey said that if another trial were to be arranged there would be plenty of officials: Mr-R. Twyneham thought that the association should invite suggestions. : Mr V. G. Russsell said that it seemed to him that the roads and the cars were becoming too good for trials. It was decided that publicity be given to the fact that a cup was available and suggestions were required. Mr Twyneham thought that a driving competition would assist members. Mr B. Palck': What about a trial through the bottle-neck? Mr Carey; That is an every-day trial. PROVING CARS, ■ No other industry in history has devoted so much attention and spent so much money on proving its products before they go to the general public as the motor industry does to-day. The big companies all spend hundreds of thousands of pounds yearly, in testing their new products. They maintain great laboratories and proving rounds, where new productions can be tried under conditions approximating actual operating service. The buyer of a new ear or a new model to-day need not have the slightest fear that the product is in any way untried. And yet, in spite of all the costly precautions taken, the ultimate laboratory is still the general public. When a new car is being developed the engineers will break up perhaps a dozen of them on proving ground roads. Thqy will have them run continuously at high speed until they fail, and then the vehicles will be disassembled and the individual parts will be studied with microscopic care. - In this way the engineers can determine which parts need strengthening to bring the design up to a certain level of excellence. Nevertheless despite all this, when the cars get out into the hands of the public faults sometimes appear. A part which has been strengthened to meet every demand of the proving'ground may begin to show some weakness ; when the public owners gets his or her hand on the wheel. The basic cause of this difference between laboratory and public service lies undoubtedly in the realm of driver psychology. ; The laboratory driver, while he is trying to destroy still does it. skilfully. His gear changing, braking.. and steering are all skilfully carried out. On the other hand, a certain proportion of the general driving public is definitely unskilful. It rasps gear shifts, jams brakes on, steers uncertainly, and does other things clumsily; and this is probably the reason why small defects sometimes appear- in the best of cars in spite of all the money that has been spent on making them as perfect as human ingenuity can achieve. ■ In the tyre industry also, a considerable amount of money is spent annually by the manufacturers in exhaustive tests before offering their product to the public.

CAEE OF THE CAR. . Careful drivers will avoid sudden stops except in an emergency. A general practice of the sudden application of brakes imposes an excessive strain on parts of the car, necessitating more' frequent adjustments and repairs than would normally be expected. When a ‘ light burns out it is usually due to excessive generator voltage, caused by corroded battery leads, broken wiring, or dirty or loose connections in the charging circuit. These conditions can be avoided by taking your car to the service station periodically for a complete checking of the electrical system. | A pinched tube can be prevented if, i after the casing is oh the rim and before spreading the rim, the tyre tool is run . around the bead on both sides of the ■ casing, which allows the tube and tyre flap £o slip into place, j Trouble sometimes results from allow- ‘ ing benzine to get low in the tank, as 1 this may cause sediment and water to : be sucked into the feed Hue and carbui rettor. Leaky valves may be the cause of loss of power. Take your car to the service station for a thorough inspect; m, if performance is not up to standard. Have the carbon cleaned and valves ground if inspection discloses poorly-seated valves. Be sure to keep all lamp lenses clean. : This is ea'sy 'to do. and facilitates the pleasure of motoring, and diminishes the chances of accidents. The rear lamp especially is apt to become entirely covered with, dirt. If eo_ it is practically useless. A rattle-that is often.difficult-to locate

tlWnu of nsws—-shorl description., ol tour., the itit* ct the rot6i. •I&. aomm.at, ox icquiria. will bo welcomed by “ Aooelentec. 1

can sometimes be traced to loose bolts which hold the bumper connections. Trouble often thought to be with the carburettor sometimes. can be eliminated by removing the pipe line and cleaning it. Usually there is a strainer at the base of the carburettors or at some point in the fuel line. This strainer often becomes so clogged that the carburettor does not get a sufficient flow of benzine. Before changing the adjustment of the carburettor, it is advisable to find out whether there are any obstacles in the line. A warning is issued to those who sometimes use the clutch pedal for a footrest. This habit causes needless wear on the various parte of the ■ mechanism affected and results in slipping dutch. Misalignment of the front wheels or low pressure in the front tyres will cause hard steering, also wheel wobble. Special attention should be given to the battery, ignition cables and spark plugs in cold weather, because cold benzine needs a hot spark. A bucking engine is sometimes due to improper adjustment of spark plugs or breaker-point gaps, The best time to drain the radiator for flushing is immediately after a long trip. THESE WINTER MONTHS. So many refinements have been incorporated in the power plant of late model cars that they are now for all practical purposes fool-proof. What, is. equally important, they _ will operate- without mechanical attention for very long periods, if given fair usage. , Petrol filters, oil purifiers, and air cleaners have in the main been responsible for this happy state of affairs, for with these units of standard equipment dirty oil, dirty fuel, and dust-laden air —-the great enepiies of . motors —are now worr.es of the past (says Gred Berry, m the Daily Guardian). In spite of these features, however, it must be apparent to every motorist that if best results ure to •be achieved, and mechanical troubles wholly eliminated, a good deal still depends upon the care and" forethought of the driver—particularly in winter time. Both in regard to the mechanical and operative aspects of motoring, the winter period presents an entirely different problem to that of summer, and incidentally one in which inexperienced or careless motorists may easily .meet with serious trouble. Let me then explain the need for especial care at this time of the year, where the greatest danger lies, and how‘ motorists may safeguard . themselves against all hazards. Dealing first with the engine and transmission, we know that unless these units are adequately lubricated serious complications are sure to follow. Now, however good the brand of oil may be, it cannot function successfully m an icy. cold motor unless and until it is fluid enough quickly to reach every moving part. The motorist who presses the selfstarter on a cold morning after leaving the ear standing all night,' and then straight away drives about his business before the oil has had time to “ warm U P, is definitely looking for trouble. Actually the first three minutes’ driving under these conditions will do greater harm to the. engine than would 500 miles of summer touring. It follows, therefore, that any rational driver must let his engine “tick” over for a minute or two before leaving the garage. Another point equally important in •starting the engine from cold is in the use of the choke. facilitate early morning starting, the choke on the 'dash is pulled out, thus providing a rich mixture for the engine. It should be clearly understood, however, that an overdose of this rich mixtur* tends to wash lubricating oil from the cylinder walls, and in extreme eases will cause a temporary seizure.Plainly then the choke must never be kept m operation one second longer than necessary; this point is easily determined by noting when the engine first fires evenly and regularly. Motorists will notice as the thermometer recedes the increasing difficulty in shifting gears in the early start. This ip due to the material in the gear box “ freezing ” and becoming semi-soad. Therd is no reason why very heavy.oils or grease should be used in this unit, for they merely cause lost power and • difficulty of manipulation without any compensating features. Wash out this “tacky” oil and replace with ordinary engine oil—it is quite suitable and good deal more efficient. Turning now to the driving aspect of winter motoring, there are a number of matters that must be attended to if we have any regard for safety first principles.

First object must be to see that night driving—especially in rain—may be done in. comfort, and with absolute security. Ojifen cars equipped with side curtains call for particular attention, for, in my opinion, the motorist who persists in driving through a rainy night with opaque and damaged side-curtains is guilty of criminal negligence. In all. probability these curtains have been stowed away under the seat all summer, and the celluloid has turned quite brown, or is covered with scratches. Peering through such curtains, all objects _ appear .so blurred that accurate judgment of distance and speed is a sheer impossibility. Some textbooks advise reconditioning old celluloid side-curtains by applying acetone or rubbing with metal polish, but in actual fact this procedure simply means so much wasted time and effort. The only safe policy is to spend 10 or 15 shillings each year and fit new celluloids throughout. Driving without a windscreen wiper is another fruitful source of accident, for even with a clear glass visibility is Woefully poor during rain. Raindrops act as miniature lenses, 'and so distort objects as to make safe driving an impossibility. Potatoes, apples, cigarette butts, together with a host of “ patent ” mixtures, are recommended as a means of ■ ridding the windscreen of raindrops, but having tried all these fantastic “ cures ” I am firmly convinced that they are merely temporary in action, and the only safe cure is to equip the car with a windscreen wiper—operated electrically, and of the double action type, for preference. The degree of safety with which winter motoring can be carried out Spends in a great measure upon common sense methods applied by the driver himself. Even the housewife, knows that to cut a piece of rubber the simplest and quickest way is to moisten both knife and material. . Yet, in spite of this, motorists will persist in driving at high speed over wet and greasy road surfaces when a moment’s reflection should show the fallacy of taking such a serious risk. Greatest skill in driving is shown by men who can judge not how fast they can go, but how slowly they inust proceed _in order to protect. their machine and its passengers, and without exposing other quite unsuspecting road users to unwarranted danger. This warning _ must not be treated lightly, for skidding on wet roads during winter time is responsible for more mishaps than all other causes combined. MOTOR CYCLE NOTES. There is to be a track for motor cycle and cycle racing in Shanghai. * * # The dirt track James is the only speedway mount employing a vee-twin motor. * One of the most successful singles on the English cinders this year is the D.T. Rudge. *• + * A witness at an English West Country court recently said: “Apart from being a motor cyclist, he is a young man of unblemished character.” The flat-twin Douglas still remains the most popular dirt-track machine in Great Britain, although there are several makes which are now making themselves folt. * * * The monthly general meeting of the Otago Motor Club will be held in the chib rooms, 450 Moray place, on Wednesday next, June 18. at 8 pan. The committee meeting will be held at 7.15 p.ta.

Cabled advice to hand fronl France indicates that this year’s Paris-Nice Reliability ‘Trial attracted the usual large entry, the teams prize being won by the B.S.A. riders for the sixth time. M. Dallest, a one-armed rider, again competed, and won a gold medal on a B.S.A machine. * * # Owing to the visit of the British Rugby football team, the Otago Motor Club’s (cycle section) Sporting Trial has been postponed for one week, and will'now be held on Saturday, June 28. An excellent course has been mapped out, and several entries are already in hand. * * sjc The following are the registrations of new motor cycles for the month of May, 1030, as supplied by the Motor Trade Association . Wellington:—B.S.A. 36. A. 24, Anel 22, Douglas 15/ Sun 14, Trmmph 13, Harley 13. others 70;—total, * * * The Blue Riband event of the motor C^ e f«- be decided oh the Isle of Man on June 16, 18, and 20. The . iounet Trophy races this year promise to be a truly international fixture, as there are to be very many overseas riders and quite a few Continental machines. :. * # As further proof ol the fact that the motor cycle is' economical,. and can be put to excellent use commercially, it is interesting to note that the English Post-master-general has just ordered a large number of B.S.A. motor cycles Tor the collection and delivery of mails in various parte of Great Britain. These machines are equipped with specially sprung wire panniers on either side of the rear wheels, each machine carrying approximately 2cwt of mails. * ■ ' * * The novice; should never hesitate to C ir D ?i e i.^ own circumstances have compelled him to slow in traffic or at a crossroads. for instance. A much quicker get£iTv fiy will thus 1)6 closured. In tr&fiic always anticipate the need for changingdown, for it danger or a “squeeze’" of any kind is impending the rider who is already in ■ middle ” has a reserve ol acceleration to get out of difficulty that he would not have otherwise. * * * The English newspapers are giving now their whole-hearted support to motor eye* ling movements over there, as witness tne recent Leeds £2OO Motor Cycle Reliability Trial run under the patronage of the Yorkshire Evening News. This event attracted 206 competitors. Premier award for best sidecar performance was won by H. 6. Uzzell (8.5. A.). This rider also won, the over 600 c.c. sidecar class. The teams’ prize for best manufacturers’ team went to the B.S.A. team. * * * The famous Durban-Johannesburg Race, which is considered to be one of the most strenuous road races in the world, - was held over a course of 403 miles on May 30 and 31, and resulted in a win for W. G. Griebenow on a Sunbeam. The Wake-' field Cup for: the fastest time was also won by this rider, his time for the 403 miles being 8 hours 28 minutes 28 seconds. The winner, as well as the second, third, and fourth men. used Lodge plugs. This is the third- year in succession Lodge plugs have been fitted to the winning machine. * K # In this year’s Scottish Six Days’ Motor Cycle Reliability Trial the entrants numbered over 70, including several Continental riders. The riders covered over 1000 miles during the six days from May 5 to 10. The severity of the trial may be gauged from the fact that only two side-car outfits completed the course without loss of points. These outfits were B. ’s, and won the only two special awards offered for best performance in the 350 c.c. and unlimited classes. The makers of B.S.A. motor cycles hold the unique record of having won the teams prize in the Scottish Six Days’ Trial for sis years in succession without loss of a single point. MOTOR CYCLE SPEED CONTEST. After almost a week of hard frosts, the organisers of this event had high hopes, of a difficult course. However, the morning broke fine, and. sunny, with a keen, dry wind, which improved riding conditions considerably. The first batch of competitors was despatched at 2.16 and so on at minute intervals. Each,competitor in each batch had a different speed to ride at, the first at 25 m.p.h. and the others differences of' 1 m.p.h., so that the last man of each section had to average 20 m.p.h. All speedometers were sealed. The route, which ran via Tomahawk, the High road, Wickliffe Bay, and Portobello, returned via the Low road to the Bungalow, St. Hilda, where refreshments were partaken of, and results duly announced. Several sections of the, route were still covered with frost, while others were extremely slippery where a thaw had set in, but when taken as a whole it was considered an extremely easy afternoon's ru s - Checks were taken at the 10. 15, 20, and 25-mile posts, so, that competitors had to ride consistently throughout. The following ‘are the details of the contest:—

SPARKS. In Sweden motorists are not allowed to smoke in cars/and are never permitted to pass stationary trams. * * * Of the 4.012,000 cars sold in America during 1929 no fewer than 2.slo,ooo'were purchased on easy-payment systems. + * # "What is all the excitement down the street?' “Oh, a man in a reverie ran into a woman in a tantrum.” “Either car damaged? ” .a a » Traffic police at Limoges, France are equipped .with illuminated batons—visible a mile away—for directing traffic at night, * a * A letter read at the meeting of the Canterbury Automobile Association recently congratulated the association on the work of its patrolmen. * ♦ * Ninety-eight new members were elected at the . meeting ,of the Canterbury Automobile Association recently, making 1300 for the year. ** . * The Government of South Australia, finding the term u motor taxation M is not pupular,-has decided in future to discard it in favour of motor registration fee. # * * The latest American novelty is a change speed lever ball bead made in the form of a cigarette and match container, which is thus literally always at the driver’s hands. * * * Havana will have a huge motor car race by the end of 1930, with a mile track and a grand stand capable of coating 20,000 persons. Additional stands will hold another 8000 spectators. * * * Reginald Denny, the film star, is reputed to own five aeroplanes, a mountain bungalow, and, “a private policeman.” The last-named,ia a rarity. Most policemen are so ostentatiously public.

Name. Machine. M.P.H. First check. 2nd. 3rd, 4th. Total Lost. Results. ■ Duthie .... 20 30 60 40 40 . 170 Cousins.... A.J.S. 21 10 100 70 80 350 Green way.. . B.S A, 22 20 130 20 30 200 Tomkinson , b.s.a: 23 20 10 20 20 70 2nd. ' Phillips.... . B.S A. 20 30 Punctured. Stalker . Norton 23 ‘ 60 80 90 230 M'Millan .. . 20 10 30 40 120 200 Strong .... . B.S.A. 22 10 20 20 40 90 3rd. Roberts,... .. A.J.S. 23 20 30 40 SO 170 Stewart.... 1 Douglas X - 24 20 50 60 90 220 M f Ewan ... . 25 — 50 70 80 200 Landrebe... . New Hudson 21 Retired. Ovens...'... . Ariel 23 10 10 20 20 60) Ferguson... . Triumph 25 30 . 10 ■ — . 20 60) let (equal).)