Cycling & Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3557, 16 May 1922, Page 42

Cycling & Motor Notes

BY

"DEMON.”

jnobile Club of Victoria now totals illl, «i increase of 750 during the year. The members lip of the Otago Motor Club Stands at about 700. „ nn There were approximately otiu.uuu motor vehicles less manufactured. in Ar.?r’M last year than in 1920, but when it is known that no fewer than 1,700,000 yWr'No a were produced in 1921. when the most optimistic estimate at the beginning of t tic year was 1,200,000 motois, owing t-o the slump, there does appear to be much ground for worry. , The spring-framed motor cyme, besides conducing to more comfort for the rider, also considerably increases tyre mileage on the driving wheel. The reason is that the spring frame permits the wheel to lift under the influence of road shock without affecting the bulk of the weight—i.e., that of the rider and machine, whereas in the case of a fixed frame the whole of the structure, so to speak, rises and fulls with the wheel as bumps and vibrations occur. The power of a large engine transmitter! to the rear wheel and the weight carried combine to induce considerable frictional affect between tyre and road surface aDd without, the elastic effect of the spring frame the action is. relatively speaking, a dead one, the tyre taking the brunt of the wear as a matter of course. When von hear a man stating that h's average over a long road has been 50 m p.h., or even more, you may safely begin to doubt his story. Of course, some people do at, times average a fairly high speed, hut to keep up an average of 30 m.p.h. is mere road speeding. It is fortunately very seldom done. We have on several occasions while touring worked out our average speed for a day’s journey, and find that for really comfortable touring it seldom came to more than 15 to 18 m.p.h., according to the road surface, and frequently' less, over the day. Touring speed, unless the tourist’s object is merely to cover the ground, is naturally less than that of a man on a journey, whose only object is to get to his destination. For a long journey, including the necessary stops—whether to fill up with oil or petrol or 1o have lunch and tea. —an average of 19 or 20 miles an ho nr over a long clay is a very creditable performance; if ?peed is an ob-

jeefc and the steps are curtailed a good driver will add three or four miles an hour, or even more, without laying himself open to any charge of recklessness or inconsiderate driving. motor cycles are registered and in use in Victoria than in the whole of Canada. The figures are —Victoria, 14,000; Canada. 9902. These totals reflex what a marked influence decent roads have on the development of motoring. STANDARDISED SCREWS. As is well known, various standards for screw threads exist, and it seems to be a matter entirely for the preference of the manufacturer as to which standard shall be adopted for his productions. The result is that garages and repair shops are forced to carry a large stock of nuts and bolts of various sizes and various threads, but even so it often happens that a motorist who has experienced trivial mechanical trouble on the road is unable readily to obtain the necessary replacement, though it be such a simple affair as a mere bolt or nut. The matter goes a. stage further on some cars, for it is not unknown for screw threads of two different standards to be employed on the same car. Another point in the seine connection which deserves mention 's the large number of different sized nuts and bolts that are used on the same chassis, when quite easily hut two or three sizes would be sufficient. This means, of course, that the owner of such a car must carry with him a tool kit, bulkier than it, would need to be were but two or three sizes employed, for the number of spanners necessary will often depend upon the number of sizes of nuts and bolts. Much has been heard of late of standardising various components of the car. hut there is great need for it to be applied to screw threads in connection with the automobile production, and, moreover, on an international basis, for cars of almost all kinds are to he found in almost all countries. SUBURBAN ROADS. Members of the Green Island Borough Council and Ihe Waikouaiti County Council will be interested in the following: The Warragul Shire Council was much interested in the volume of traffic on the Prince’s Highway where it passes through the town, and caused a tally to be taken of the vehicles crossing the railway bridge there. Ej’orri Good Friday to the following Thursday (Easter Week) 1395 motor cars were counted, together witli 796 motor cycles, 1171 jinkers, 792 buggies, 408 spring carts, 142 drays, 94 horse lorries, 49 waggons, 5 mol or lorries. 67 milk carts, and 12 vans. The council holds that the traffic shows the Prince’s Highway to be a national road, and that to load the shire with the cost of maintenance is grossly tin fair, and quite beyond its resources. The

only remedy seems to he the incidence of a general wheel tax; nothing better has boon suggested. SELF STARTERS. One of the difficulties of motor car manufacture, says the Autocar (Eng.), is that everyone wants every improvement which establishes itself as a sound one. Thus, electric light, once the prerogative of the wealthy motorist, is now a commonplace on the cheapest cars. Many other instances of this tendency could be recorded. The predominant one, however, is probably ihe question of engine starters. At one time it was a popular opinion that users of the smallest and cheapest, types of car were mainly recruited from the ranks of motor cyclists, hardy folk generally, who were by no means incapable of, or even averse to, the effort involved in starting engines, and often awkward ones at that. Actually, this supposition has not stood the test of time. An enormous number of additional members to the motoring fold-has been attracted by the provision of the many excellent and reliable small inexpensive cars, people, too, who would never have thought of using a.ny form, of motor cycle. Many of these newcomers are woman and many middle-aged and even elderly people. Tlie effort required to start, a very small engine is not perhaps considerable, but the very class of people frequently using this type of car object strongly to any of discomfort connected with motoring. _ Getting out of a car to start the engine is always a trouble, and frequently involves stepping into a dirty' road, while starting no the engine from cold i.n the motor house may easily become a labour too severe for elderly or delicate people. The result is that engine starters for even the smallest and cheapest, cars are demanded, and when there is a demand there is certain to be a supply. The demand for the self-starter is now such in Europe that t-ne opinion is expressed that very soon no car will be saleable unless fitted with an engine starter. Perhaps the assertion is too sweeping, but it undoubtedly contains a strong substratum of truth. No manufacturer objects to fitting engine starters; the difficulty is purely one of expense, but manufacturing costs of electrical articles are falling, and if produced in Sufficient, numbers, and the car is originally designed to take the starter, the expense is not considerable, and probably there is no accessory on a car which is paid for as readily as is this instrument. At one time it. appeared likely that mechanical hand or foot operated starters would be widely adopted. Time, however, has not confirmed this view, and electrical means are now almost universal. Incidentally, as cost is of prime importance, and as small cars are so rapidly increasing in popularity, it is almost inevitable that the magneto as a means of ignition is likely to have to fight hard for existence on inexpensive cars. It is ob-

' viously a great temptation to fit a battery system which performs the treble function of starting, lighting, and ignition. Certain manufacturers are* already doing this. Everything points to tho majority of small cheap cars in 1923, or perhaps sooner, being as completely equipped with every conveniienoe for the user as are the most expensive and highest-powered machines obtainable. THE SMALL CAR. The small car, using the word in a collective sense, says the London Times” in its wteekly edition, is the salvation of the British motor industry to-day, and is likely to hold an even more prominent position in the immediate future. It is distinctly a British product., and although our Continental rivals have manufactured and are still making very successful light cars, the 10 horse-power British machine easily stands supreme. Here at home the small car has been brought to such a pitch of perfection that its performance both in tho hands of the expert and of the amateur approaches very closely to that put up by heavier and more powerful car's. The small four-cylinder water-cooled engine and the two-cylinder air-cooled unit have been improved to such an extent that, taken in conjunction with the light coach-work and chassis that are now capable of standing up to hard work, a very high power-weight ratio has been obtained. The result is that the 8.10 horse-power small car now travels from point to point as fast as a car two or three times as powerful and as costly. OTAGO MOTOR gLuB. J The monthly meeting of the Otago Motor Club was held last night, the past president (Mr J. A. Roberts) in the chair. A motion of sympathy with the president (Mr A. E. Ansell) in his severe illness' was passed, and the secretary was instructed to write to Mr Ansell conveying this feeling and expressing a hope that he will soon be about again. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the South Island Motor Union intimating that a communication had been received from the Department of Internal Affairs stating that it was considered inadvisable at present to fix a standard with regard to the distillation, range, etc., of petrol imported into the dominion, and also that the wishes of the union with regard to ihe grading of petrol in bowsers could be met if the various motor associations refused to purchase petrol from any bowser unless the proprietor declared the brand supplied. Received. The South Island Motor Union wrote suggesting that when putting up fresh signs on the main north-south road unions should adopt a uniform style, and forwarding indications of those erected by the Canterbury Union as a sample worthy of being copied.—Messrs Passmore, Wright, and M‘George were appointed a committee to consider the matter.

Mr R. Ross, cf Alexandra, wrote suggesting that an effort should be made to have something done to reduce considerably the size of a large rock which at present cut off a view of the Alexandra bridge until near the approach, which was a sharp curve. —It was decided to write to the Vincent County Council drawing its attention to the matter. HILL-CLIMBING TEST. Mr IV. Wright'reported upon the recent motor cycle hill-climbing competition, which was perhaps the most successful in several ways ever held by the club. For the first time they had used an electric timing appliance, which had worked faultlessly. It was made by one of their mem hers (Mr George Sheriff), and had attracted very considerable interest. Mr H. Halliday remarked that the device was an American idea, and Mr Sheriff had seen an account of it in a paper and constructed an appliance from this. It was watched with the utmost enthusiasm, and was seen to work perfectly, the watch starling when the tape was broken at the word go and stopping when the tape at the other end was broken. It had acted as a check upon the other watches, and proved that one of them had jumped a minute. It was resolved to write to Mr Sheriff thanking him for giving them the benefit of his work, and congratulating him upon the success of the device. Mr Sheriff said the appliance was always at the disposal of the union, and anyone who knew a little about electricity could work it. Mr Breen suggested that the competition at present was much too simple. It was merely a test of speed, and there were no hairpin curves (necessitating a reduction of speed) or creeks to negotiate, as was the case in the Old Country. He moved that it be a 'recommendation to the committee to stiffen the conditions when the next test was arranged.—This was carried. GENERAL. Messrs Roberts, H. Halliday, and J. L. Passmore were appointed delegates to the annual conference of unions. Mr Halliday moved, and Mr J. M'Dougal seconded, that arrangements be made to meet in future at the R.S.A. Club Rooms, and that Messrs Tonkinson and IVood be thanked for the use of their room in the past. —The motion was carried. Three new members were elected.