THE MOTOR WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21977, 12 June 1933, Page 2

THE MOTOR WORLD.

By ACCELERATOR.

A THINKING MACHINE. To place service stations on a level with factories in precision methods, the Bendix organisation in Chicago has made a new machine that almost does the thinking for master mechanics, or “ troubleshooters,” as they are known. It is called an inspection machine. As a shop unit, it occupies a space 20ft long and Bft wide, upon which the cars are driven. Then new testing methods come into action. Various dials record variations in brake pressure, wheel alignment, “ toe-in ” and steering geometry. The operation is automatic, with the guesswork eliminated. In connection with its use, regular ffO-day examinations are to be urged on motorists through an educational campaign. The objective is greater safety on the road, DRIVING TESTS. After exhaustive research extended over 18 months the British National Institute of Industrial Psychology has devised a new method of detecting accident-prone drivers and correcting their faults. While at the wheel of a stationary dummy motor car the steering wheel, accelerator, and brake of which control the projection of a realistic roadway, the driver appears to be travelling along a winding road and negotiating “hairpin” bends and other road difficulties. His reactions to these are carefully noted,' his progress is recorded on a graph, and any driving faults are revealed. A 'series of tests of experienced drivers is said to have shown that the results obtained from the graphs correspond closely to the actual driving experiences of those tested. ) t FIRST MOTOR CARS. • The first motor cars introduced into New Zealand were two imported from England in 1898 by Mr W. MLean, of Wellington. The difficulties experienced in running these cars under the provisions of the laws of the time were described by Mr D. F. Bauchop in the course of an address to the Canterbury College Engineering Society. At first Mr M‘Lean found it impossible to use the cars, as they came under the same category as traction engines, the law requiring that three men should operate each machine. One had to go ahead carrying a red flag. Besides, the speed limit was fixed at four miles per hour. The first Motor Car Act was introduced in 1898, apparently being arranged to fit Mr M’Lean’s case. This was superseded in 1902 by another measure, which remained in force till 1908. AGAINST THE THIEF, A patent has been taken out in England for a new device for protecting motor vehicles from thieves. The device, which has been tested by and has won the approval of the Metropolitan Police, consists of an opaque screen, in the form of a flexible metal blind, which can be lowered in front of or behind the windscreen. In this position it is locked, and completely obscures the view through the windscreen. Any unauthorised person attempting to drive off the car could only do so by peering round the screen, at one side or the other, obviously a difficulj and highly suspicious proceeding. In addition, some such wording as “Stop! Motor thief! ” can be written on the blind in order to notify the public and the police that the car is being stolen. COLD STARTING. In cold weather starting difficulties become more apparent. Difficult starting is usually caused by incorrect carburettor adjustment, dirty or worn-out plug's, -weak spark, weak battery, or air leaks. On particularly cold mornings turn the engine over by hand to free the pistons and bearings. Depress the clutch pedal when using the starter motor, to relieve the load created by stiff oil in the gearbox. ....... Do not turn on the ignition switch until the engine has turned_ over a few times. This induces a rich mixture, but the spark should be retarded a little when switching on, to prevent back-fir-ing. The throttle should be opened only slightly and the choke used _ sparingly, for if choked too much the mixture will be ; too rich and the cylinders will be flooded. -■ ■ - -- - f WHEN FATHER DRIVES. “How; critical the youngsters are of our driving, I would sooner make a bad gear change in front of the world’s record breaker than before my daughter home from school,” writes an English parent in a motoring journal. “ The former would make allowance for an occasional misjudgment of engine speed, whereas any child who has not yet handled a gear lever cannot understand such lapses, and should they occur in front of a particular school pal, or that pal’s parents, I am afraid that wo are rarely forgiven, and frequently apologised for behind our backs. “ This is, of course, very helpful in' keeping us up to scratch. Also it is rather nice to be egged on to pass a fast sports car which happens to be in front of us, and should we fail to catch it with our family bus to hear the Young Idea at the back explaining to its friends that his father’s car is not quite up to the mark to-day.” PETROL CONSUMPTION. Miles to the gallon of fuel seem to represent a tangible indication of running coats, but it is doubtful, however, if this is the most important detail in motoring expenses and any figure given is almost necessarily misleading, says the Motor. A car may do 30 miles per gallon in the hands of an experienced tester, but on# a long run the figure may be improved in the hands of the ordinary user. For short distances it may be very much poorer. Many stops and gear-changing in traffic, long periods of idling, wastage through 'evaporation, rapid acceleration which pumps liquid petrol on the road by way of the overflow pipe or wastes it in the form of unburnt petrol through the exhaust, worn tappets, dirty pings, or pitted points in the contact breaker—all these factors completely upset calculations. So in estimating the cost of running a car do not ■attach too much importance to petrol consumption, which is a detail more or less variable by conditions and skill in driving. More important items are depreciation. tax and insurance, garaging and various incidental expenses and maintenance. ACROSS THE SAHARA. Another triumph for the small but sturdy British light car, which has already won golden opinions in all parts of the world, lias been registered. An 8 h.p. Morris Minor two-seater is the first car of so low an engine capacity to cross the Sahara Desert. This fact was revealed by the driver, Mr Alan N. Cooper, a Kenya coffee planter, who recently arrived in England and completed the final stage to London of an 8000-mile journey, commencing seven weeks ago from Niarobi. Mr Cooper purchased his Morris—a 1931 side-valve model—second-hand, the car having already accomplished a considerable mileage, and set out from Nairobi with one companion, Mr Walsh. The route taken led through Uganda, AngloEgyptian Sudan, Belgian and French Congo, Cameroon®, Nigeria, the Sahara, Algeria, Morocco, Spain, and France. The trip across the desert between Gao and Reggan—over 800 miles —was accomplished in four clays; an average of over 200 miles a day—splendid going in view of the fact that a severe sandstorm was encountered and the correct route frequently lost. DANGEROUS DRIVING. “Though unnecessary and unreasonable speed is not to be countenanced at any time, there are many motorists who show a lack of consideration for others in travelling too slowly,says the Canterbury Automobile Association in its latest safety-first message._ “Much inconvenience and traffic obstruction are caused bv motorists who drive too slowly near the crown of the road, particularly in busy city thoroughfares. It is essential that a regular traffic flow be maintained at ail times, but the dawdling driver who persists in hugging the crown of the road la not assisting hus

litem* news—short description., of tours, the §t»te of the roads, eto., comment, oi inquiries will be welcomed by 11 Accelerate*/!

fellows. All slow-moving traffic, no matter what type, should keep ns close as practicable to the left-hand kerbing, thus allowing overtaking traffic to pass in safety. “ If drivers find themselves obstructed by a slow driver who is using more of the road space than he need they are tempted to speed up and take risks in cutting in. No drivers should be put in that position. It is only through the complete co-operation of the drivers of ail vehicles that safety on the road can be assured. Dawdling drivers taking up too much roadway are selfish to others. “Always consult your rear driving mirror when travelling slowly, remember the following driver, and keep strictly to the left. Attention to this small detail will stamp yon as an efficient driver, and make the roads safer and less congested.” AUTOMATIC BRAKING. An interesting automobile brake control system was recently tried out in England, according to reports from overseas. Primarily, the device is intended to act as an emergency brake, which automatically comes into operation in the event of collapse of driver or a sudden emergency calling for immediate application of brakes. In the device tested hydraulic power is utilised, the method of application being simple, inexpensive, and easy to install. A container is partially filled with oil, submerged in which is a double plunger pump. This is driven from the rear of the gearbox by a chain running over sprockets. By a system of springs and valves the device is actuated by a light ring, which is fitted immediately beneath the steering wheel. The driver, when at the wheel grasps this ring all the time the vehicle is in motion. Should he release his grip on the wheel and allow the ring to drop a Bowden wire mechanism opens the hydraulic valves and. immediately applies the brakes. When the ring is again grasped, the valves close and the brakes are released. It may be thought that it would prove a nuisance to grasp the ring, and, at the same time, operate the steering wheel, but tests by motoring experts showed that after a short expericence this act becomes quite natural. It was demonstrated that even with the foot hard down on the accelerator and the engine on full throttle the device brings the vehicle to rest and the engine stops. Immediately a driver releases the ring he may leave hie vehicle altogether, and the brakes will remain on, OLD CROCKS. Recently in Melbourne the Victorian Light Car Club organised an “old crocks’ ” race to Brighton Beach and back, and 24 cars took part. The drivers and passengers dressed the part, and the early nineteen hundreds and even the ’nineties lived again. Most of the care had been given quite effeminate names by their owners, such as “Plain Jane,” “De Luxe Annie,” and “ Galloping Gertie." " Galloping Gertie ” was an ancient but skittish Vauxhall, driven by H. Drake Richmond, the racing driver. On each of the irregular occasions on which her cylinder fired, “ Gert ” gave a lively bound of several inches on her springs. ...» “Two more payments and she s mine Was written across the rear of a 1905 Grayson. However, several_ of these old cars are etill in active service. A little Clement Bayard, certainly modernised with electric lighting, took its owner quite a long Easter tour. Another a Fiat, bought in 1906, is still serving as delivery truck for a soft drinks manufacturer. The parade created extraordinary interest, and a large crowd saw the start and finish, and lined the route. A collection was taken up in aid of the Lord Mayor’s fund, and quite a substantial amount is expected. Most of the cars started remarkably easily, some of them pouring out clouds of oil smoke, and as they snorted along, they left a trail of oil and water on the roadway. The all-round average of the cars was about 18 miles per hour, and of the large number that finished the race, Mr A. Bedford, in his 1900 . Wolseley, was, the first home. The entrants, in order of age, were as follow:—1898 International Rugby. 1899 two-cylinder Ford, 1900 Wolseley, 1902 two-cylinder Fiat, 1902 Oldsmobile, 1902 Grayson, 1902 De Dion, 1903 Cadillac, 1903 Vauxhall, 1904 Cadillac, 1904 Napier, 1905 Tarrant, 1905 Fiat, 1905 F.N., 1906 MTntyre Buggy, 1906 Belsize, 1906 Pilain, 1906 Humber, 1900 Adams, 1906 Clement Bayard, 1906 Fiat. TO FOCUS HEADLAMPS. To secure the correct focus of a headlamp the car should be taken to a dark, straight road, and one of the headlamps covered with a thick cloth so that only the one under attention shows a light. The bulb of the headlamp under examination should then be moved in and out until the host beam is secured, not the parallel beam of the searchlight, but a slightly spreading beam, free trom shadows and streaks. When a satisfactory setting is obtained the same plan should be adopted with the other headlight, with the exception that, if it is on the near side, a wider beam should be given, but still with the proviso that there are no shadows or streaks. , . . The next and most important thing is to get the direction of each lamp Tight. It has been found that the off headlight, shining straight along the road, gives the best results, while the near lamps should be turned very slightly to the left, so as to illuminate the near side of the road. In no case should the off lamp be set toward the off side of the road. The diffused light given by the shorter beams of the lamp will indicate this verge suthTo obviate the chief cause of dazzle, the headlight which throws its concentrated beam into the eyes of drivers of oncoming traffic, the aid of a second person is necesto set the lamps properly. The assistant should stand at least 100 yards in front of the car, and each lamp should be moved up and down until a point is found in which neither shines straight into his e> Thc power of the headlamp bulb has very little to do with dangerous dazzie; it is the setting of the lamp that matters. If a lamp dazzles an observer a quarter of a mile away, the effect will have passed away by the time, the car reaches the danger zone if the lamp is correctly set. Side-lamps are often a source ot serious trouble. Too many makers seem to think that the only purpose of a side-lamp s to indicate the position of the car, without regard to the question of illumination. For such a reason many owners put._ in more powerful bulbs, in the hope ot being able to see where they are going without using the headlamps. The result is too often extra dazzle for other traffic, with little gain to the driver of the car. THE MOTOR CYCLE OTAGO MOTOR CLUB CYCLE SECTION. FIXTURES June 17. —Annual dance at clubrooms. June 20. —Annual meeting. JOTTINGS. W. L. Handley will be mounted on a Swedish Husqvarna machine, a aOO c.c. twin, in the senior T.T. this year. ** # * The average slip on an ordinary run is probably about U per cent., but as much as 45 per cent, has been recorded on a hill with a dry, hard, and bumpy surface. t ,j. And here’s something else to think about. Hot, dry roads in summer may cause twice the rate of wear which is caused on wet roads in winter! SPARKS “ Brown has offered to sell his car at a low figure.” . „ « Which is broke, Brown or the auto i * * In the course of a teat of the driving strain caused on long journeys by different designs of bodies, an American body-building firm is stated to have found that the diets of the drivers affected the result.

Petrol tank caps are easily and frequently lost. One Christchurch motorist uses the top of an old thermos, flask for a cap, and a country motorist called at a service station the other day with a potato doing cap service.

Old lady: “Don’t drive so quickly round the corners. It frightens me.” Motor driver: “You don’t want to gel scared. Do what I do —shut your eyes when we come to corners.”

Light oil containing 33 per cent, petrol is reported to have been discovered in Brunei, British Borneo. A company had persistently searched for oil in that districtj* but previously had discovered only heavy oil in shallow wells.

Husband: “I have brought yon this beautiful string of pearls for your birthday, darling.” • Wife: “ You knew I wanted a motor Husband: “I know, dearest; but I tried everywhere and couldn’t get an imitation car.” :Jc s'® *

An entirely new line in car salesmanship has been adopted by a London concern, The idea is that the prospective purchaser shall have the services of two demonstrators—one for his own car and one for the new model he is trying. He can change over and drive whichever he likes as often as he desires and is thus able to form a comparison between his old car and the new model.