THE MOTOR WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23501, 16 May 1938, Page 3

THE MOTOR WORLD

By ACCELERATOR

TRANSPORT IN PARIS During recent strike troubles in Paris it was revealed how dependent that city is on motor trucks for its food supplies. There are 4812 motor lorries employed regularly on this work. Of that number, 1312 transport vegetables, fruit, meat, and dairy produce from a radius of 50 miles or more around Paris, while 3500 motor vehicles are engaged on distribution in the city and suburbs. It was also revealed that the automobile and allied industries in France give employment to 1,000,000 people as compared with 500,000 by the French railways. THEN AND NOW Twenty years ago there were more makes of cars in use throughout the world than there are to-day, and three types of lubricants sufficed for their servicing, namely, medium motor oil, gear oil, and "cup” grease. To-day there are only about half the number of makes of cars being marketed, and their specifications call for 25 different lubricants, which are recommended by car manufacturers. From this it will be realised that the up-to-date service house has a far more complex job with modern specialised lubrication of automobiles than did the garage man of 1918. SCHOOL CHILDREN AND SAFETY A good idea has been adopted by the “ Safety First ” Council of an English county. The school authorities enforce a statutory five minutes runabout by the children in the school grounds before they are let out into the streets. The idea is to give the children time in the school yards to let off surplus energy before being exposed to the traffic perils of the streets and roads. Many accidents to children on roads are really due to nothing but reckless enthusiasm after being released from school control. Almost every motorist who has passed a school discharging its pupils knows that fact. DOOR-SLAMMING A mysterv associated with motor cars is that a silent shutting door appears to be beyond the genius of inventors. Anyone who lives near where cars are parked at night knows how disturbing can be the slamming of doors of cars in the quietness of the night. In one’s house, any occupant would be frowned upon if he or she banged a door, but aboard a car doors appear to be slammed just ns a matter of course. The seat of the trouble appears to be that few car doors can be shut properly without slamming. Hence the habit, now almost general with everyone getting out of a car, of banging a door to close it. Apart from the noise which this treatment produces, such a practice in time cannot but cause body trouble. A silent door should not be an impossibility to evolve. A RACE OF LONG AGO It is just over 30 years since the world’s longest motor car race was held from New York to Paris. Six cars and their adventurous drivers and mechanics started out in February, 1908, on what was probably the most strenuous test cars were ever subjected to. France was represented by three machines —a De Dion, a Motobloc, and a Sizaire-Naudin; Germany by a Protos; Italy by a Zust; and America by a Thomas. The event was sponsored by the New York Times, and the route selected was from New York across the American Continent to San Francisco, thence by boat to Alaska, across part of which they were scheduled to travel. During the progress of the race, however, that section of <he route was found impracticable, so the route was changed, and the contestants were shipped from Seattle to Japan, from whence they drove across Manchuria arid China, thence via Russia and Germany to France. As may be imagined, the contest was a go-as-you-please affair, more like a cross-country tour than a race; but for all that the drivers and mechanics, had a , hectic time getting their machines' through snow and blizzards and across countries where good roads were conspicuous by tneir absence. Eventually, the Protos arrived first in Paris, four days al cad of the Thomas, but the German crew were disqualified because they shipped their car by rail over a section of the route from Idaho to Seattle so that they could catch up with the rest of the cars before the boat sailed for Japan The Thomas, driven by G. Schuster with G. J. Miller as mechanic, was declared the winner The distance covered by the cars over land and water was about 22,000 miles, and the winner's time was 169 days 2 hours. At the time the contest created worldwide interest, TYRE WEAR The wheels of a motor vehicle are taken so very much for granted that many motorists never give a thought as to their condition, a particularly as to whether they are running true. As a matter of fact, quite a fair percentage of cars and trucks seen running on the highways, particularly those of old vintage, are conspicuous by reason of one or more wobbling wheels This is generally due to a knock—possibly a glancing blow against a kerbstone. Whatever the cause, there is no doubt that any lateral movement of a wheel rubs away the wearing tread of a tyre, and robs its owner of considerable mileage for which he has paid. It is a good practice to occasionally jack up the wheels of a car or truck and, by spinning check the wheels for trueness. Possibly the tyre is not on quite straight or the wheel nuts may need tightening. If a wheel itself shows any signs of wobble, then the best thing is to take it along to a service house and have it trued. The small outlay will soon be recovered by reason of longer life of the tyre on the wheel, says the Dunlop Bulletin ACCIDENT SURVEY One of the most comprehensive surveys made oi motor traffic accidents is that conducted annually by the Travellers’ Insurance Company of U.S.A, Covering a research into the 1937 toll of accidents in that country, the company’s statisticians analysed reports of 40,300 fatalities and 1,221,090 injuries in last year’s traffic accidents The survey showed that 37 per cent of the deaths and 25 per cent, of the injuries were caused bv vehicles exceeding the speed limit The heaviest death toll was on Sundays and the heaviest injury toll came on Saturdays More people were killed in U.S.A traffic accidents between 7 and 8 n.m than in any other hour

The report features what can happen in the higher brackets of speed. For instance, it is pointed out that a car is four times harder to stop at 50 m.p.h than it is at 25 m.p.h., and nine limes harder to slop at 75 m.p.h than at 25 Also, that a driver can only make one-fourth as sharp a turn at 56 m.p.h •is ho could at 25 m.p.h Other figures show that it one has :111 accident in U.S.A while driving a; '0 m.p.h,, there is only one chance in 44 that somebody will be Killed, but if the accident occurs when travelling at faster than 40 m.p.ti., there is one chance in 19 that somebodv will be killed.

An outstanding feature of the survey was that accidents to the age groups between 5 and 14 years showed a decline in 1937. pointing to the fact that educating the young in the perils of traffic has borne good truit in USA

SECOND-HAND CAR [MARKET In a concerted effort to stimulate the buying of used motor cars in U.S.A. 20 of the leading automobile manufacturers and 46,000 authorised dealer* have, for the first time, combined in a national effort to break the jam that has befallen t'w used car market in that country.

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

MOTORING IN BRITAIN

In one week, £250,000 was expended on a press advertising campaign throughout the States, in addition to widespread radio publicity with the object of making prospective owners aware of the used car values that are being offered. All told, 9850 newspapers. 400 radio stations and 25,000 poster hoardings were used in the campaign. , The position m ,the U.S.A. motor industry to-day is that it is impossible for the automobile plants to work full time on normal production schedules of new cars, until the used car jam has been broken. The accumulation of used vehicles is accounted for by the business depressoin that has befallen that country, and the hesitancy on the part of buyers because of a feeling of uncertainty regarding the future. The automotive position in the States is reflected in the production of new cars. In January, the output was 34 per cent, under the December figures and 47.9 per cent, below the output in January, 1937. The weekly production at the beginning of March this year was 53,000 new cars and trucks as compared with 123. 198 for the corresponding week last year Exports of U.S.A. automobiles to other parts of the world, during 1937, however, showed an increase in value 43 per cent, over 1936 figures. The two largest buyers of cars were Australia and the Union of South Africa. Despite the temporary setback the U.S.A. automotive industry is now contending with, the nation at large expects the industry to play the same leading role in helping to lift the business depression in that country, as the part it played in pulling America out of its big depression of a few years back. WORLD SPEED RECORD The Rialton car, in which John Cobb, holder of the Brooklands lap record, hopes to beat the world’s land speed record at Utah this summer, was shown to a few privileged visitors recently for the first time. This is unquestionably the most unorthodox car ever designed for the purpose of raising this record. The chassis consists of one “ kinked ’ boxgirder with a supercharged 12-cylinder Napier Lion aero ehgine slung at an angle on either side of it, while the driver’s cockpit is set right out in front of the front axle. Whereas the front wheels are sft Sin apart, the rear ones are set 2ft closer together. The body is flat and tapering, with a slight bulge over each of the four wheels, and a streamlined conning tower in front through the glass panels which the driver obtains an uninterrupted view. Unlike most land speed record cars of recent years, the Rialton has no rear fin, Reid Rialton, its designer, holding the view that a fin is useless unless the car skids badly, and that its value even then is conjectural. The Rialton has no radiator. Cooling is effected from a tank holding 75 gallons of water and thousands of small squares of ice. Braking is by means of powerful transmission brakes actuating on the gear boxes, friction-type brakes, and a hydraulically operated air brake in the form of a rising panel about amidships behind the conning tower. Four-wheel drive is incorporated with front steering. The front wheels are independently sprung, but the rear wheels are sprung with the axle. The front axle has a differential, but not the rear one. The unladen weight of the. complete car is 62Jcwt, the driver, petrol and oil accounting for another half ton.

With the exception ot the driver’s conning tower, the top of which is 4ft Sin from the ground, the remainder of the car is all kept below the level of the fairings over the four road wheels, whose diameter is 44in.

Each of the two engines has its own gear box, but these are operated simultaneously by one gear lever in the cockpit. The capacity of the petrol tank is 18 gallons, and it is computed that this fuel supply will suffice for about 13 miles.

A striking testimony to the advanced design incorporated in this car and the lengths of ingenuity to which those responsible for it have gone in cutting down superfluous weignt is the fact that it weighs only 2.81 b for each horsepower developed. This will be Cobb’s first effort to gain the motoring Blue Riband record, and the venue will be the Bonneville Salt Lake bed (Utah), the scene of Eyston’s and Campbell’s successful attacks on the world’s land speed record. However, John Cobb, wnose hobby is motor racing, is no stranger to the natural hard salt surfaced speedway at Bonneville, for he has already established several long distance world’s records on the salt bed, records which were subsequently challenged and bettered by Ab, Jenkins, the U.S.A. speed ace, and Eyston. Cobb will probably leave England for Utah (U.S.A.) this month, and his attempt on the record is scheduled for August. His objective is 350 m.p.h.

The British Minister of Transport, Mr Leslie Burgin, in a message published in the British Motor number of The Times, said:

“The British motor industry goes from strength to strength. Even in the years of depression the numbers of motor vehicles in use in Great Britain steadily mounted, and the latest figures available of the numbers of vehicles in use show a continued advance. The census of vehicles for which licences were current during the quarter ended September 30. 1937, gave the number of private cars licensed during that period as 1,798.000. as compared with 1,643,000 for the corresponding period of 1936 (an increase of 9.5 per cent.), and the number of private cars in use is more than two and a-half times what it was in 1926. the first year of the census. The number of mechanically-propelled vehicles of all classes now using our roads is approaching the figure of 3,000,000. New registrations for the twelve months ended December 31. 1937. amounted to 474,618 as compared with 464,910 for 1936. “The traffic census figures seem to show that these great increases in the numbers of vehicles on the roads have been accompanied by a still greater increase in their use The traffic census on Class II roads taken in 1936 showed an increase in tht volume of mechani-cally-propelled traffic of 59 per cent as compared with 1929, the date of the last corresponding census. This compared with an increase of 26 per cent, in the number of vehicles over the same period. •'The adaption of our road system to accommodate adequately and safely the rapidly-growing volume of traffic is in the forefront of my policy The network of roads in Great Britain, particularly in England, is already more elaborate than that in any other country, and we may still claim that the general standard of surfacing and maintenance of our roads as a whole is higher than elsewhere Under the Trunk Roads Act of 1936 1 have taken over the responsibility of 4500 miles of the main traffic arteries, and it will be my constant and earnest endeavour to ensure that these roads as quickly as circumstances permit are brought up to the high standard that their importance in the transporl system of the country requires. “ Road transport problems continue to receive the active consideration of the legislature. The Government has announced its intention to introduce a Bill to carry out the recommendations of the “ Baillie Report ” on the wages and conditions of service of the drivers of goods vehicles The passing into law of that measure should go far to improve working conditions in a grea\ national service and to protect the good employer from the unfair competition of the employei who is less considerate. The Government has also announced its acceptance of the broad principles of the Report of the Transporl Advisory Council on Rates and Services (which recommends the control of the rales of goods haulers by

road) and its intention to introduce legislation to implement these recommendations in due course.” He concludes with a statement on road safety, which concludes: —“ The exercise of greater care and consideration provides the real solution of the problem. If each of us were to endeavour to be as courteous and ’as thoughtful for others when using the roads as we are in other aspects of life, 1 am convinced that the number of road accidents could, within a very short period, be substantially reduced. THE MOTOR CYCLE A.A. (Otago) FIXTURES May 17.—Monthly meeting May 21.—Acceleration test.. May 28.—Run to Balciutha. June 6—King's Birthday trial, Juno 18,—Sporting trial. June 28.—Annual meeting. CLUB NOTES Next Saturday the acceleration test will be held. Intending competitors will assemble at the club rooms at 2 p.m. Another small alteration has been made to our programme. Hie scramble which was to have been held on May 28 has been postponed to a later date. In place of this event, a run to Balciutha will be held in order to let interested members compete in the motor sports to be held there on that day. Details of the events will be published as soon as they come to hand. As many as possible are asked to turn out. as the sports are part of a carnival in aid of funds for the Balciutha Swimming Club, and, as we are always out to help other sports along, please roll up. The usual monthly meeting will be held to-morrow night and members are asked to make every endeavour to attend. v SPARKS - Witness in a motor prosecution at Willesden Police Court, asked by the clerk to the magistrates if his name was John William, replied: “No, just plain William.” * V * More than 50,000,000 rubber trees are required to, produce the 75,000 to 80,000 tons of crude rubber used annually by one of the leading American tyre manufacturers ¥ ¥ ¥ An Oregon magistrate is going to condemn motorists convicted of being drunk in charge of a car to a spell of wood chopping.

That every driver should take at least half an hour’s rest after a fourhour spell at the wheel is the subject of a decree planned by the Dutch Government. It is hoped that this will reduce accidents .caused by fatigue. Objection is being raised on the score that fatigue reacts differently with various individuals.

The East Kent Federation of Women’s Institutes has sent a resolution to the county council demanding a by-law to restrain bulls from wandering near public footpaths.

The long-discussed trans-European highway from London to Istanbul moves a stage nearer completion. A big conference between all the countries concerned was opened recently in Budapest. The extension of this road through Africa to Capetown is also envisaged, and a conference is to take place next year in the Belgian Congo.

¥ ¥ ¥ Certain American States are considering increasing permissible speeds as a measui’e of relieving congestion. But we in Britain know that you can’t relieve congestion by releasing the cause, adds the Motor.

V V V Cyclist to solicitor: “Do you suggest that all I have to do is ride about on a bicycle ail day? ” Solicitor (hastily): "Oh, no.” Cyclist: “Well, that’s all I have to

Addressing those present at the celebration of the completion of 2000 kilometres of motor road, Herr Hitler promised that in a few months the long-awaited car for the German working people would be in production. The foundation stone of the greatest factory in Germany would soon be laid, he said, after which hundreds of thousands of cars would be produced annually at the price of a motor cycle.

A cyclist told the police that he would plead guilty to a charge of ignoring a “ Halt ” sign, but when it came into court he pleaded “ not guilty.” Asked why he had changed his plea, he said that in the interval he had discovered the sign said “ Drive Slowly” and not “Halt. The case was adjourned for a month to allow the police to find out on their own what the sign does say.

The principle of using reservoir bottles automatically keeping the water level correct in batteries has been introduced for cars in America. The sixvolt battery requires three bottles, one for each cell, functioning independently of one another. The water is carried from the bottle to the cell through a rubber tube, which automatically feeds water when the level falls below the end of the tube.