THE MOTOR WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22807, 17 February 1936, Page 3

THE MOTOR WORLD

BRAKES. Never put ofi adjusting the. brakes of a car. Good brakes may save human life, possibly your own. After heavy rain, or hosing the car, test the brakes before they are needed. Avoid braking on a corner. Brake very gently on wet roads, and release at the first sign of a skid. With four wheel brakes steering may disappear if you apply them hard on a curve. Don’t brake if a tyre bursts at speed. Concentrate on steering, and brake only when the car is travelling at less than 25 miles .per hour. PICNIC EQUIPMENT. Motorists who set out almost every week-end on a picnic excursion or a visit to a surfing beach have learnt the wisdom of reducing the worries of camping and cooking to a minimum, so that such duties make but little inroad upon their leisure time. A suitable picnic case or basket can be fitted quite cheaply with screw-top bottles, sandwich boxes, and other containers for food. One or two vacuum flasks for tea, soup, or other beverages completes the outfit. A fairly large tent-fly is very useful as a cover for the car and as an awning, which can be supported on two or three light poles, to form a shady "veranda” extension. It is best to have an amply large tent-fly, which will cover the car from front to rear wheels, and to arrange it so that when it is desired to use the car or a space of ground alongside it as a dressing room the awning posts can be quickly lowered. SHOCK ABSORBERS. Among the many engineering advances in the Rolls Koyce Phantom 111 is a new type of shock absorber controlled by an oil pump operated from the transmission. It has long been known that shock-ab-sorbers should become progressively stiffen as the speed of a car increases to obtain maximum benefit from them. One or two mechanical types have been evolved, but these have been so expensive to buy that they have been used with few exceptions for racing only. Other types manually controlled by the driver have also been employed with success a few manufacturers, notably the Alvis Company. The Rolls Royce system, although it can also be adjusted manually to suit the individual taste of a driver, operates automatically the oil pump delivering more oil, and, consequently "stiffening the action of the shock-absorbers as the speed of the transmission increases. Another ingenious fitting on the new Rolls Royce engine is the automatic adjustment of the tappets, the length oi which is also controlled by a hydraulic device employing oil. CO-ORDINATE FRENCH ROADS AND RAILS. France has been seriously studying the matter of railway deficits and the problems of competition between the railways and highivay traffic, and the Public Works Department in France, is gradually applying the measures decided upon for road and rail co-ordination. 'Plans for passenger transportation, submitted by departmental committees, are to be transmitted to the various prefects for consultation with the interested general councils, chamber of commerce and agricultural chambers. The adoption of “Autorails” by the railways has affected the automotive manufacturers in the way of providing special motor equipment for operation on rails, replacing non-paying steam-operated trains, WATER PUMP GREASES. The choice of lubricant for water pump bearings is a matter of considerable importance. The use of unsuitable grease will result in wear, combined with leakage, and if the owner tries to correct this by injecting poor lubricant in excessive quantities it may mix with the water. The grease is then circulated, and causes deposits which impair the efficiency of the radiator. Waterproof greases are available which give excellent results and need not be applied in excessive quantities. Such greases are often fairly stiff, so that the grease cup may not screw down very readily. However, it is only necessary to take up the slack in the cup at intervals. . . „ While the engine is running Email quantities of grease will absorb into the gland and bearing, and eventually a gap is created which can be filled up by turning the cup until resistance is felt. It is much better to attend to this at intervals of 400 miles or so rather than to force the greaser for a couple of turns after a long period of neglect. DIRT IN THE SUMP. Many motor drivers who service their own cars or trucks are, no doubt, surprised when draining off long-used oil from the engine sump at' the amount of foreign matter contained in the oil, and at the same time wonder how the impurities get into the oil system. As a matter of fact, there are three different sources from which foreign bodies get into the oil current: (1) Dust from surroundings, especially from the air; (2) formation of solid residues of combustion; and (3) metal dust resulting from w'earing by friction of the machine parts.

The dust particles from the air are by their nature the most harmful, as they are composed mostly of sand or earth of great hardness. Fortunately the use of fine air filters enables much of this dust to be trapped, but all the same a small percentage of very fine dust does get into the oil circulation, constituting a disadvantage in lubrication, as the minute particles break the oil film on bearing surfaces. The evil cannot be remedied by the introduction of clean oil, but only by draining off the old oil and replenish ing with a fresh supply. The presence of metal dust is often found to be considerable, as, for instance, when cleaning after repairs has not been thoroughly carried out. But even apart from this cause, there is in every motor a small percentage of dust from iron and other metal, resulting from ivear, etc. ROAD RACING IN ENGLAND. Motor car road racing has at last made a start in England. The International Grand Prix Race at Donington Castle, near Derby, recently, showed that this road circuit in its present improved form enables the world’s fastest cars to compete in England in a scratch event. The law prohibits the use of the public roads for motor racing on Continental lines. Plans are on foot for staging a big international race at Donington next year, with prizes sufficiently large to attract full teams of cars from the leading Continental racing car manufacturers. In addition certain British clubs are contemplating holding special road race meetings there. A crowd of nearly 20,000 people saw some magnificent driving in the race. The winner was Mr R. O. Shuttleworth, in an Alfa-Romeo, at an average speed of 63.97 miles an hour. Second was Earl Howe in a Bugatti, and third Mr C. E. O. Martin, also in a Bngatti. . The race was packed with thrills from the moment the flag fell to unleash 16 racing cars all together in a rush for the first corner.

By ACCELERATOR.

Items of news—short descriptions of tours, the state of the roads, etc., comment, or inquiries—will be welcomed by Accelerator.

The first British ear home was nn E.R.A. driven by “B. Biva,” and its achievement in holding the foreign machines sufficiently to gain fifth place was particularly noteworthy in that its engine is of only 1J litres capacity against the 3 litres of the winning car and the 3.3 litres of Earl Howe’s and Mr Martin’s cars. FRENCH CHEAP CAES. While British manufacturers have, thanks to a reduction of the Treasury tax and the demands of domestic and export markets, given great attention to the building of, models which in respect of wheelbase, accommodation and power, cannot be considered, as “ baby ” types, many Continental factories hope to exploit a new field with cheap and small cars, which are designed to attract purchasers who are unable to afford a large outlay Of capital, and who must keep riming costs as low as possible. In France, the Society of Automobile Engineers is seeking to encourage the production of cars to be sold at about £IOO, complete, with a maximum speed of 50 miles an hour, and an economical petrol consumption of about 90 miles to the gallon. The weight of such a car would be less than lOcwt. The aim is to induce manufacturers to design a model which will not compete in the existing market, but appeal to those who hitherto have not been prospective customers. One of the questions to be decided wag whether a four or twoseater model was desirable, and a questionnaire was forwarded to 220,000 persons. A big majority of the replies received favoured a four-seater vehicle.

Cheapness of upkeep is the principal object of the society, which aims at the evolution of a suitable and comfortable machine, whose all-in running costs, with a monthly distance of 600 miles, will not exceed £4 a month. In Great Britain there are several small cars which are listed at about £IOO. These machines

offer excellent value for money, and are generally capable of a speed of 60 miles an hour, but their fuel mileage is far below the extremely low rate sought by the French Society of Automobile Engineers, and which probably will only be attainable with a small twin-cylinder engine. AUTOMATIC CARS. While ppblic attention has been focussed on the externals of motor car design in the form of new’ body lines, all unperceived the chassis designer has been slowly but surely approaching the ideal of the automatic car, and this year at the London Olympia there was at least one model in which the driver can sit back and steer. The motor car has for long, of course, embodied various automatic features; these include Ackemann steering, which automatically gives the correct inclination for each front wheel for steering round any curve; the differential, which provides the drive while allowing the rear wheels to rotate at different speeds when cornering; pump lubrication of the engine (at one time drip feeds had to be adjusted by hand); automatic carburetion, and the electrical cut-out which prevents the battery dischargingthrough the dynamo. More recently the ignition advance and retard has been subjected to automatic control, the cooling system has similarly benefited by the introduction of the thermostat to maintain a constant temperature in the system. Automatic return direction indicators have also been generally adopted, and now the dynamo charge is automatically adjusted by compensated voltage control to meet the fluctuating requirements of the battery. In all these directions the driver has relieved of various operating responsibilities by the ingenuity of the designer, but undoubtedly the highest step of all tow r ard simplified motoring is the development of automatic gear changing systems in which gear selection is automatically effected in exact accordance w’ith exigencies of any particular occasion, while, if desired, the driver may modify the ratios by fingertip control. Every modern car possesses a noiseless and fool-proof transmission system—selfchanging gear-boxes, synchro-mesh cones together with free-wheels, and automatic types of clutch have made this possible. The modern driver cun concentrate solely on the road without the worry or distraction once brought about by the risk of clashing gears or the necessity of pumping oil and petrol to the engine. THE LAND SPEED RECORD RUN. According to the Dunlop Bulletin, Sir Malcolm Campbell, who late last year ( put up the phenomenal speed of 301.129 m.p.h aboard his famous Blue Bird-Dunlop outfit on the dry bed of the Bonneville Salt Lake in Utah, U.S.A., recently revealed the fact that his machine could have travelled still faster. This statement is based on the data provided by a cine-camera which Campbell had attached 'to his car, the film of the camera registering the readings of various instruments which duplicated those on the dashboaul. The film showed that the 12-cylinder 2500 h.p. motor, at its highest speed during the fastest run of 304.31 m.p.h., reached just on 3500 revolutions per

minute, and also recorded the rapid acceleration of the car during the six-mile run to the measured mile. Sir Malcolm stated in an interview that the experiment of filming the movements of the hands of the instruments while the car was making its runs over the 13-mile straightaway (in opposite directions) had provided important technical data, which he could not have obtained in any other way, and which will help to answer several problems, particularly that of wheel-slip, which had been troubling the designer of the Blue Bird and himself for some time. CHEVROLET FOR 1936. The new Chevrolets for 1936 embody marked advances in styling, engineering, and performance. The de luxe, ottered with knee-action springing, has been restyled in its most important appearance elements, notably by the adoption of a higher and narrower radiator and hood, with a distinctive radiator grille. The shorter wheelbase models have been completely redesigned in chassis and bodies. Last year the two models differed materially both in appearance and in construction; this year, the two lines are identical in all major features of styling, engineering, and performance, the chief difference being only a matter of wheelbase.

Outstanding among the many new features are perfected hydraulic brakes and improved engines having higher compression ratio (0 to 1), balanced carburettor, full-length water jacketing, and other changes resulting in better cooling and improved petrol and oil economy. Front doors of all models of both lines are now hinged at the front. The solid steel turret top, exclusive last year with the de luxe models, has been adopted this year for all models. Spoke-type pressed steel wheels, instead of wire wheels, are also used throughout. Body interiors show marked advances in comfort and style. Chevrolet’s lighter models, besides incorporating features that appear for the first time on the de luxe, take their place in the line as entirely new models, with new box girder chassis frame, more powerful engine, longer wheelbase, and larger bodies. The wheelbase of this model, formerly 107 inches, is now 100, while its overall length, last year 170 J inches, is 12 to 13 inches greater. Bodies are longer and wider, with more leg room, wider seats, and additional head room. Car weight is increased 1331 b. Springing has been improved by the use of longer front and shorter rear springs, which possess more nearly equal frequencies and so minimise pitching.

Side rails and cross members of the new frame are all of rigid box section, a type of construction that has appeared cn costly European cars. The great increase in strength “and in stiffness with these box girder members add so greatly to the rigidity of the structure that only three cross members are required. The extreme simplicity of the frame greatly facilitates access to chassis units for lubrication and service operations. Horsepower, formerly 74, has been increased to 79 at 3100 revolutions per minute by changes in combustion chamber design, valve operation ami carburettion, in combination with an increase in compres.s:.on ratio from 5.6 to 1 to G to 1. A ventilated generator has been adopted.

THE MOTOR CYCLE FIXTURES. February 18.—Monthly meeting. February 23.—Run to Lee Stream. March 4. —Evening pillion run. March 14. —Hill climb. March 17. —Monthly meeting. March 28.—Mystery run. April 21. —Monthly meeting. April 26.—Social run. May 9.—Camberley scramble. May 19. —Monthly meeting. May 23.—Social run.June 6. —Petrol consumption test. June 16. —Annua! meeting. CLUB NOTES. It was very pleasing to see a number of new club riders at the cycle section’s run to the aerodrome, amongst them being another lady member (Miss R. Chenuells), riding a new Triumph, A large number of the latest machines were noticeable at tliis run.

All motor cyclists are invited to be present at the monthly meeting of the cycle section, to be held in the A.A.O. rooms to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock. On February 23 there will be a social run to Lee Stream. This is an ideal picnic spot, and all motor cyclists seeking an enjoyable day’s outing should roll up to the club rooms at 10 o’clock on this morning. SPARKS ■ 5 A driver with a glass eye, who said he had not undergone a driving test and had not declared the disability in any application for a licence, was fined and disqualified from driving for three years by the Doncaster magistrates.

The county surveyor for the Holland division of Lincolnshire states that in a recent census it was found that even where footpaths are provided on important roads over 69 per cent, of the pedestrians preferred to walk on the road.

The London Passenger Transport Board has decided that no further orders will be placed for petrol engine vehicles. All future contracts will be for heavy-oil engine vehicles. The board operates about 6000 vehicles, of which 850 have heavy-oil engines.

In France the price of petrol has been reduced by ltd a gallon under a new Government decree. In future the price must be placarded in all petrol pumps. Wholesale importations of unrefined petroleum, its derivatives and residues, will bo allowed only by special penults.

A lady motorist is reported to have told the Hythe magistrate, “ I did not think it possible that you could fine me, so did not bring my cheque book.” She was an optimist, but the magistrate was not a co-optimist.

A party of miners charted a motor coaeh and went qn a picnic. Each brought some provender with him. One miner brought a basket of home-made cakes, which proved extremely hard and crusty. “ Now I understand,” said ho, “ what the wife meant when she said, ‘Take your pick! ”

A quick and reliable method of removing rusty wheel nuts is to heat the wheel brace to a black heat and allow it to rest on the nut about half a minute before applying the pressure. The expansion caused by the heat will break the rust, and even the most stubborn nuts should then turn easily.

An Italian is reported to have invented a motor ear telephone-radio system by means of which a motorist, while travelling. may “ ring up ” other telephone subscribers. Now. perhaps, Mr Lyons will bo able to continue his activities as Prime Minister while making his 70 miles an hour dashes between Sydney and Canberra.

“Hallo,” said James, espying his neighbour on the way to the station one morning. "Back from your motor tour? Have a good time? ” “ Very good,” replied the motorist. "My wife did all the driving.” “ Splendid,” said Jones. “And I suppose you just sat back and admired the view? ” “All I had to do was to hold the steering wheel,” said the other wearily.