Cycling & Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3334, 6 February 1918, Page 44

Cycling & Motor Notes

B-Y DEMON.

Many of my readers will be pleased to know that the Public Works Department has put a good deal of work into the roads leading to the Cold Lakes. As a result a number of cars have of late been enabled to make the trip to Te Anau and Manapouri. A gang of men are engaged in, improving the road and erecting bridges, and the Whitestone Stream is no longer a bugbear to motorists, and is being made safe with a plank crossing. The road from Lumsden is in very good order. A fine record of stamina and endurance has been put up by a Buick model 16, built in 1909, which has just completed a run of 261,800 fljiiles, over all socts of roads. In its travels more than 15,000 gallons of gasoline were consmed and over 300 tyres used. Tho Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company's business for the fiscal year ended October 31, 1917, amounted to 111,549,522d01. By passing the hundred million mark, as it set out to do a year ago, the company established a record. The work of the year is 74.37 per cent, more than last year, when tho total business was 63,970,498d01. an aeroplane one is bound at first sight to think that tho engine is very small compared with tho size of the structure when that structure is compared with the relative size of engine and car on a road vehicle. While it is true that the aero engine is relatively small, yet wo must bear in mind that it is enormously larger than tho average motor car engino, and necessarily its thirst is approximately in proportion to its dimensions. Now it_ is a very poor aeroplane that has an engine of less than 10. COO c.c, and that means fuel eonsumption is at least as great as that of one and a-half Rolls-Royce cars. Then we have to bear in mind that this big engino is not running for some three-quarters of its working time upon small throttle opening, as is tho case with tho -motor car. Practically the whole of the time, except during its descent to a landing, it is running at a near approach to full-open throttle—in other words, it is as though it were hill-climbing perpetually throughout the entire journey. There is no level, so to speak, and almost tho only run downhill with the switch closed is a portion of the final volplane to the landingground. Except for this, it is never under easier circumstances than if it were climbing a never-ending hill of 1 in 12. The biff American tyro concerns are confronted with the immediate problem of filling many vacancies, owing to the services of many thousands of their young men being needed for tho U.S.A. army. Probably few industries will be so severely affected in America owing to conscription as tho rubber mills. In "tho great rubber centre, Akron, the majority of employees range from 21 to 31, and, while the big

type manufacturers -will be hard hit,_ they have taken a patriotic stand in claiming exemption for only relatively few men who are extremely valuable to them, believing that in throwing their strength behind the first draft fewer men will be needed later on. It is computed that from 10,000 to 12,000 men are subject to the call in the Goodrich 'Mills alone, 7000 to 8000 in the Goodyear Works, 4000 to .6000 in the Firestone Mills, and tens of thousands out of many other rubber mills. Reports regarding Germany, coming through from Switzerland, are to the effect that there is no petrol for army use. but the lack of rubber is causing serious trouble. A prominent member of the Swiss motor industry, _ who has had opportunities of travelling in Germany on many occasions since the War, declares that synthetic rubber has been moro > or less of "a failure. Until America came into the war all kinds of methods were devised to emugglo rubber into Germany, and the attempts wero so successful that at least

all army staff cars could run on pneumatics tyres. Of late the situation has been much less favourable, no rubber being available for motor trucks; and whileofficers' staff cars are still running on pneumatic tyres the stock is limited, and every possible form of economy is exercised". With wood and steel tyres in placo of rubber, it has been necessary to reduce the speed in all cases. Trucks which could be run at 12 m.p.h. in the rubber days have been cut down to 10, eight, or even five m.p.h. The German army transport service has not been disorganised, but ib has been rendered _ less efficient by reason of the jrreat reduction in speed. —— Now that America is making hugoi preparation for her entry into the war, the question of of alloy steel foi? the motor car industry is imder review, for it is probable that supplies may have to be reduced with a view to turning thifl necessary metal over to the munition factories. The "Ford" people alone use 300,000 tons of alloy steel fn its annual

products, or about 3sb per car. Normally the .American motor industry requires about five tons of alloy steel per 1000 cars. The three main parts of a car where this steel is practically indispensable are the gear wheels, parts of the rear axle, and the bals for bearings. Many other parts are now made from alloy steel, but with the object of cutting down the use of this metal the American manufacturers state that they can substitute some of the highcarbon steels without losing efficiency. Most of the biggest American makers are prepared to make efforts in this direction With a view to leaving the major portion of tho supplies of alloy steel for munition purposes. ; Thys, the Belgian, accounted for the " Tour of Lombxrdy," an Italian road race of 235 kilometres (146 miles) on November 4. Henry Pelli-iier, the Frenchman, who won in 1911 and 1913, finished second. The time was 15hr lOmin. -—Tho management of tho big American six days' bicycle race, held in New York at the end of 1917, wanted .the Australian long-distance champion (A. Goullet) to team with .Frank Kramer,'tho many times American sprint champion. Kramer was willing if he were guaranteed half of the* first prize or £3OO. The management refused, and Goullet teamed with J. Magin, and, according to the cabled result of the race, tho Australian and his partner won. According to reports from France tho war is popularising tho bioycie. The | automobile is out of the reach of everybody except the rich, the principal reasons being that the Government needs most of 'the motors and that gasoline is selling for over 6s a gallon. According to statistics furnished by the French Government, Paris had 200,035 bicycles registered in 1916, a big increase over that of 'the year previous. Tho reports for 1917 will in all probability show that more people have taken to the bicycle. A good bicycle can be secured for £8 to £lO, and the factories are filled with orders. Thousands of bicycles are also being used by the French army for the use of orderlies. Tho price of American cars has increased of late from 10 per cent, to 35 per cent., whereas American motor cycles are very slightly up. America's entry into the war will probably cause the prices to still further increase . Tho Italians have produced battleplanes which carry 20 people, in addition to guns of large size. One of 'these has been sent in sections to America, but doubt is expressed as to whether the U.S.A. will build planes of this size, owing to the difficulty in shipping them. been entirely abandoned. At one time they came into a certain vogue. Tho Rover was one of the cars which -was so fitted, and the brake was of such power that any , stiff hill could be safely descended without using the ordinary brakes. The system .was found very effective in the case of tho Saurer heavy lorries which were used on the mountainous Swiss roads. The firm's touring cars were also* so equipped. The control of the brake was effected from tho steering wheel, the throttle lever, when pushed beyond the closed position, acting on the cam shaft. Thus with one hand the driver could vary the speed to any extent by regulating the amount of gas admitted .to the engine, and by continuing the motion of the same lever he could apply .the engine brake. ma'fcio tyres are not likely to be punctured by flying bullets, and that their use is practical for officers' and other light military cars when under fire. Tyres running at the rate of 10 miles an hour were subject to riflo fire at 50 vards. Eleven shots "struck, but either failed to enter the tyres, followed the fabric to the rim, and there emerged, or remained between rubber and fabric or between rim and inner tube. In no instance was tho tube punctured, although a twelfth shot, fired squarely into the tread with the wheel standing still, perforated casing, inner tube, rim, and shattered itself on the iron protecting plate of tho wheel. The result is attributable _to the movement of tho wheel, the deflecting angles at which the shots _ were fired, and the resiliency and flexibility of tyre-con-struction. THE RADIATOR OUTLET. All radiators (says a writer in the current jssuo of American Motorist) have an overflow arrangement to accommodate the Sia'tural expansion of the water upon being leated during 1 the operation of tho motor; frequently they are also equipped with blow-holes to allow the escape of steam. If, through the accumulation of sediment or dirt, these outlets become clogged and don't fulfil their functions, the result is that .the internal pressure generated will follow tho line of least resistance and force a leak at a point where the radiator is weakest. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that these outlets bo open at all times.