CYCLING & MOTOR NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 48

CYCLING & MOTOR NOTES

BV

“DEMON.”

v Mr Henry Ford recently called tlio police by telephone and notified them of the loss of hi's motor car (says a Reuter tries,ge to the London papers). “What kin 1 of a car was it':" the police clerk asked “Why, a Ford, of course,” Mr Ford answered. The manufacturer had no doubt * thief had got away with the machine. Mr Ford than went to his own establish stent and selected a new car, paying for it hy cheque and without a discount. A correspondent pleads for greater latitude of adjustment of the saddle. Never has he ridden a machine on which it was loa».ili<3 to have it too low. He consider.-th-,t tbo chief adjustnlent should be horiicntal, so lhat. its distance from tiie handlebars could be suited to the rider. Bending the handlebars is a good compromise, bit' he argues that if is not so good as movin the saddle, as it does not afford the same control nor the same degree of comfort. It (s a point for the designers to consider ties of light, cars at a meeting in England recently, the hill was divided into two sections, the first section to he taken at tinder five miles' per hour, and the second as fast as possible. The clever competitors wasted the time by crawling with slipping clutches in the first few yards of the slow section, and then, crossing the dividing line with a rush, obtained considerable advantage over those who did not open the throttle till actually beginning the fast section. 'Hie idea of combining a slow and a fast climb on the hill seems to be a good one, and a test, not only of the motor, but of the capabilities of the man at the wheel. There is now every likelihood of the world-famed Warrnambool-Melbc nine road race being revived by the Dunlop Rubber Company, as indications point to all the existing difficulties being removed. Some remarkable speeds are being recorded on Brookland’s track, England. In one recent competition three contestants were lapping at the extraordinary pace of 122 miles an hour. Lee Guinness, t-ha crack English driver, was one of them, and he was electrically timed to do a lap at a speed of nearly 122 j ni.p.li., the fastest ever recorded on Brooklands. Ong half mile he covered at 154 1-3 m.p.h. lie drove a 12-cylinder Sunbeam.

THE GRAND PRIX. t he premier automobile road contest of Europe—the Grand Prix —will he decided at Strasbourg (France) this month. The event promises to be a much bigger affair than last year’s contest, when America carried off the Blue Riband. This year no American cars will compete, owing to such a small cubic capacity being allowed for the contesting cars, the' reduction being onetbird on last year’s allowance. Despite the capacity of engines being reduced to two litres, some tail speeding is anticipated, of tlie most remarkable engines competing will be the Rolland-Pilain, 3 French production with a “straight eight’’ engine which bristles with originality. This engine is designed, io- ran at the terrific speed of 5000 revolutions per minute, and in order to make this possible the valves are mechanically closed instead of being operated hy spring as is the usual method. Another novel feature is that the whole chassis is slung beneath the springs, thus giving a particularly low centre of gravity for fast cornering. The performance of .his car in the Grand Prix will be watched with interest. VALUE OF HIGH SPEEDS. In British motoring circles some controversy has arisen with regard to the pile uomenal speeds which certain light cars can now attain on road and track. Some of the private car owners have been asking- what is the good of these very high speeds. On this point alone the answer is relatively simple. High speed from a small engine is a. sign of efficiency. If this high speed can be maintained consistently for long periods it is a still better indication of efficiency, since it demonstrates reliability as well. The strains on a little car at very high speeds are exeeedingly eevere. arid this “all out” testing is the best guarantee of quality, provided that the vehicles thus tested are indent,ical with the standard models in all essentials. Thus a very strong case can be made for the ceaseless efforts which are being made to set up new records in speed and efficiency. But there is another question which tli.3 private owner may raise—viz., “are the factors of comfort and capacity studied as carefully as that of high speed'/" To this a direct reply will be difficult, when the owner-driver indicates that, he would prefer a roomier body on his car. In effect, it puzzles many people why small@,cars of such amazing speed and efficiency as the modern type do not carry more comfortable bodies and be content with a more sedate speed. Of course, any person versed in motoring knows that it, is the heavy load, not the big speed, which kills the little motor. All the same, we think it desirable that light car designers should give more attention to *he matters of body speed. Instead of dwarfing the car and making it a tiny two-seater or a very diminutive four-seater, let us have light oats of more national size arid capacity.

PROTECTION ACAiNST RUST. When nuts, oups, screws, etc., are greased to preveut corrosion, and also to facilitate their removal after long periods, a lubricant should be used that does not evaporate or corrode, or otherwise injure the metal surfaces. A mixture of thick mineral cylinder oil or vaseline with graphite will be found effective. Finished or polished surfaces of motor machinery can be protected from corrosion hy applying a mixture of white lead and tallow. Vaseline also is a good rust preventive for steel surfaces, provided the surfaces on which it is applied are perfectly dry. To prevent the rusting of tools stored in garages, or carried on the running hoard of the car in more or less water-tight boxes, apply a mixture of equal parts of turpentine and raw linseed oil. AUCKLAND MOTORISTS. The annual report of the Auckland Automobile Association states that the membership has been increased during the past year from 687 to 839. The accounts for the year show an excess of income over expenditure of £l5O, the accumulated funds on May 31 being £1077. There is a credit balance of £l3 13s lOd from the second Muriwai race meeting, and the sports fund stands £129 17s 6d in credit. ANTI-SPLASH RUBBER RIM. Many devices have been tried both in England and France that will prevent, splashing from the wheels when the roads are wet. The main difficulty in designing a mud-splash guard is to arrange it in such a way that it will withstand rough usage over a reasonable time. Tests made proved conclusively that to arrest the mud was one thing, but lo invent a. fitting that would not be seriously injured over thoroughly bad roads was another. A Frenchman claims to have overcome this difficulty. A supplementary rim, which is composed of rubber, is attached in close proximity to the side of the tire. The rim was, in the first instance, made quite flat, but. far too much mud found its way 011 to the spokes. A concave rim of rubber was then applied, with better results. If the car should be driven close to the kerb the rubber rim will bend or give sufficiently to prevent any breakage. The device is said to be effective, durable, easily applied to any wheel, light and inexpensive, and not in the least unsightly. MOTOR THEFT COMMISSION. There is now being organised in Chicago (U.S.A.) the Interstate Motor Theft Commission. beginning with a “membership campaign,” in which it will appeal to motor manufacturers and dealers, automobile clubs, and individual owners for financial support. There will be four classes of membership—organisation, supporting, individual, and associate. Fees will range from lOdol upward, except in the case of

individual and associate members, who are to pay sdol and 3dol respectively. The great number of thefts of motor vehicles throughout the United States has made it necessary for some such organisation to protect the owners. The depredations of the thieves have become more extensive and daring, and no type of machine is too small or too large to save it from their clutches. When cars are removed by the robbers they are taken to some place and altered almost beyond recognition, and usually sent to a different State for sale by auction or privately, according to which offers the best returns. The number of cars stolen throughout the L T nited States last year ran into thousands. The Interstate Motor Theft Commission proposes to reduce the theft of automobiles through the establishment of a central clearing bureau, in which card records of all motor vehicles sold and licensed in the United Stf:es would be kept. Daily reports of new registrations would be received from all States, and the plan proposes that- by comparison of cards any duplicate or false number given by an applicant for a license would be detected. This would lie reported to the proper police officers, and would lead to the recovery of the stolen car. and probably the apprehension of the thief. The service to members of the police and other officers of the law would be free, and in addition the commission would offer rewards for the recovery of cars stolen from its members, who, perhaps, would augment the rewards offered by the commission. judging from the nreamble, given in full in the motor journals, the commission specially looks to the trade for substantial financial support, so that the plans can be carried out in their entirety, though at the same time it is stated that many details have not yet been settled. A PLEA FOR PILLION RIOINC. A deputation consisting of Messrs R. G. Charnptaloup and D. Gorton waited on the Finance and Uegai Committee of (Vie Auckland City Council with regard to pillion riding on motor cycles. Air Charnptaloup said lie was a member of the deputation which waited on the council three years ago. when the pillion riding by-law was first brought in, and it was on their recommendation that pillion riding was allowed on side-oar machines. Riding on solo machines was prohibited because, of the supposed liability to accident. Since then no accidents had occurred in areas where no restriction was imposed. The present deputation, representing 500 motor cyclists and speaking as experts, argued that there was no danger except through incompetent driving. They asked that pillion riding be allowed outside the main streets; or in one thoroughfare each east and west of the city, leading to the country; or that pillion'riding be permitted on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and holidays. It was stated, that the traffic authorities of Great Britain saw no reason why pillion riding should he prohibited, and prohibitory by-laws were being re-

scinded ip most parts of England. It was also allowed in America and on the Continent. Attention was drawn to the fact that the Auckland by-law was drafted before the city extended into the outer suburbs, and it was therefore urged that some concession should he made. The committee gave the deputation a sympathetic hearing and promised that the matter would receive careful consideration before final decision was reached. OTAGO MOTOR CLUB. A meeting of the executive of the Otago Motor Club was held last week. The president (Mr A. E. Ansell) occupied the chair. The Chairman reported that lie had been in Oamaru last week with Mr J. E. Passmore, and he had taken the opixirtunitv to examine a railway crossing there in regard to which the dub had received a complaint. He thought that the complaint was somewhat exaggerated, fie had found everything satisfactory for reasonable requirements; there was a runaway on the line. Mr Passmore corroborated the chairman’s statement.—'The chairman s report was adopted. Mr P. Breen said he thought that the Otago district should have a greater number of sign-posts and direction guides. Christolrurch was much ahead of them in this respect. —Air Al’George reported on the quotations received from various firms for the making of sign-boards.—The Chairman said that he thought they should undertake this work in a thoroughly business manner. r l hey should decide on the kind of sign they favoured, and where they were to be placed. 'lhey would then have to get authority from the various local bodies to enable them to put the signs m suitable places. 'the interests of motorists and motoring were one of the chief things for which their club existed. —On the motion of Mr Breen, it was decided that the subcommittee set up should be empowered to spend up to £3O in the manufacture of sign-posts and their erection in flic Otago district. Mr Breen was appointed a member of the sub-committee. It was decided to write to the engineer of the City Council asking him to take steps as soon as possible to have certain unblinded roads in the city put in proper order. It was decided to ask the City Council to have the road adjacent to the St. Clair links metalled. —Air Mood pointed out that the part of this road in the Taieri County had been metalled. Mr Breen said it was high lime the city took steps to introduce police control of traffic in certain streets. This control was in existence in other centres in the dominion.—The Chairman said he thought Mr Breen’s remarks were very opportune. Police control really speeded up traffic. Messrs Wood, Reid, and Halliday were appointed a sub-committee to wait on the Publio Works Committee of the City Council to amplify the arguments contained in the letter regarding the St. Clair road; also to place certain suggestion* before the

committee relating to the desirability of introducing police control of uraflic in Dunedin.