Motor and Cycle

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 70

Motor and Cycle

by

DEMON.

Tn the 11 months of 1927 up to December Britain- exported overseas 14,441 complete motor cars and cabs, and imported 18,004 cars, mostly from the United States. The British exports in the corresponding period of the previous years were 13.321 in 1926 and 15,824 in 1925. Car imports in the same periods were 9836 and 32.163 respectively. GOOD ROADS ARE CHEAP. America has discovered that good roads are cheap in a multitude of ways. Two may be mentioned. Bad roads mean such high operating costs that they are not cheap at any price. This subject was worked out on the New YorkBoston road, and it was estimated that if the road were not a paved one the extra cost of operating trucks alone would pave the road for .the entif-e distance in less than 11 years; and with

ears added, in a very much less time than that.

Good roads are the only roads of any strategic value, and America does not stop to figure the cost on this issue. In 1919 an army motor convoy, 65 trucks in all, was despatched across the continent. It covered 3500 miles in 62 days. They found by this costly demonstration that for every precious hour lost on good roads nine were lost on the bad, and it took lOdol of expense to secure the same result on bad roads that Idol achieved on the good. Incidentally they smashed through nearly 100 bridges. OLDEST GAR FOR SALE. The oldest automobile in the world is being offered for sale by Abbe Gavois, a village priest of Rainneville, near Amiens. The car, which is the sixth machine built by the Panhard and Levassor Company, has been in existence more than 30 years, and was proved, in public competition, to be the oldest automobile in the world, having constantly been in service. With a twin-cylinder engine, tube ignition, tiller steering, and wood wheels shod with steel tyres. Abbe Gavois uses this car to visit his parishioners, and is a familiar figure in the streets of Amiens. Just before the war he refused all offers for the purchase of the automobile, but lent it temporarily to a museum in London. MOTOR CYCLE PLUGS. The modern motor cycle engine, which is a high-efficiency unit, is not infrequently fastidious in its taste as regards the matter of sparking plugs. On older machines and on a good many motor cars it does not very much matter what plugs are fitted, but with most of the faster cycle engines it is essential to use a plug that really suits 'it unless constant and somewhat expensive trouble is to be experienced. A difficulty that arises in connection with this matter is that garages keep, in many cases, but restricted stocks of plugs. They may sell the make that one wants, but their supplies are often limned to one model onlv, and that as a rule, not one that is particularly well suited to a really “ hot-stuff ” engine Most motor cyclists hav c at one time or another failed to obtain the plugs " anted on the road, and for the rider setting out on a lengthy tour the obvious thing to <.o is to carry with him at east one spare or mor- if his engine is likely to need them. UNUSUAL TYRE REPAIR. If a motorist has the misfortune to sustain a small puncture in one of his tyres when his spare tyre is also flat, ami he is •miles from anywhere,” and his puncture repair outfit lacks rubber solution, 11 1 1 I spi , t . £ L of , * llese apparently insurmountable difficulties he will be able to stop tne air leak and continue his journey if he removes the tube and blows it up fairlj’ nai(L and then binds the punctured nortion with a length of insulating tape. A DEAD LETTER. in<^pl'l m ? eala M d . ilo . to i’ Vehicles Act is amonl fl,° n t,Rt - 1 - 1 torce ln Bl 'itain, and KriHd X Provisions copied from the tnitish Act is one providing for the endorsement of licenses (says the DomiclausA J°J ar be ascertained this Gause of the Act has remained a dead pr . etty throughout the Domimoto’rH* seemillgly to the disadvantage of

, Bl * S country motor drivers have their licenses to drive cancelled and suspended more freely probably than in any othei part of the world. No statistics oil tl»s Point are available, but from perusal of the New Zealand and English newsPapers it would seem that in proportion to the number or motor drivers on the i th i e r ? tlO i of suspensions must be fbn • h Jf H . dr ? d P er cen t- greater here than in Britain Whether the standard of driving is that much lower in this tio™ 1 ” 1011 * laU e sew here is open to ques-

Y hile the courts have thus made full and free use of the power to suspend and disqualify motor drivers, they have, on the whole, completely ignored the power to endorse driving licenses. Under section 22 of the Act it is laid down that when any person is convicted of an offence under the Act (other than a first or second offence of exceeding any limit of speed) the court may “ cause particulars of the conviction and any order of the court made under this section to be endorsed thereon, and on any such license that may thereafter be issued to him during the next succeeding period of three years, and may also cause a copy of those particulars to be sent to the local authority by whom the license so endorsed has been granted.”

In Britain this provision in the law is used extensively, and it appears to be applied m a large percentage of cases of the class which are dealt with here bv suspension from driving. So far as can be gathered the British practice is that endorsement comes before suspension—except, of course, in the most glaring cases of recklessness. In cases that call for something more than a fine, and where the driver has shown a tendency to recklessness, the magistrates in Britain will order particulars of the conviction to be endorsed on the itcenae. A driver with an endorsed license on his next appearance may expect a heavier fine than one with a clean license. In a general way a driver who has two endorsements on his license runs a very good chance of being suspended if he appears in court on any

but the most trivial charge during the three-year period within which the endorsements remain.

It will thus be seen that the endorsing of licenses is an important feature in the administration of the law in Britain, but although embodied in our Act is a complete wash-out here. If a. New Zealand magistrate wishes to impose any penalty further than a fine his sole thought is usually of suspension. The halfway house of endorsement might as well not exist. There is little doubt that innumerable cases in which licenses havc been suspended in this country could have been amply met by endorsement. A man with an endorsed license in Britain is usually very careful indeed not to run into danger of a second endorsement, and, as a rule, only where endorsement proves ineffective as a curb is cancellation and suspension called for in the public interest.

GAUSE Or BEARING FAILURES. Ninety-nine per cent, of bearing failures are caused by faulty lubrication. Oil that has degenerated into a stew of carbon and metallic particles mixed with other sediment, and diluted through doping or excessive use of the air shutter, is not the best thing to maintain efficiency. All kinds of foreign matter are found in engine sumps, particularly commercial vehicles. So far it has been impossible to seal a crankcase against the ingress of foreign matter, but decarbonisation at regular intervals, well-fitting piston rings, and the use of an oil strainer when filling, will all help to prolong the life of the lubricant, and, incidentally, of the engine. The renowned reliability of one well-known car was entirely due to an oil system whereby the lubricant passed only once through the bearing, and was never pumped back to do duty over again. ETHYL PETROL. Interest has been aroused in'' motoring circles in view of the imminent introduction to the British market of motor spirit containing tetraethyl lead. Spirit of this kind has been widely used in America, and has been adopted for racing purposes in England and on the Continent. As now generally known, the most important property of such fuel is that it eliminates knocking, with consequent smoother running, greater flexibility, increased. power, and fuel economy. It also permits the use of a higher compression without fear of knocking. It is probable that the price of the new tetraethyl fuel Will be higher than that of present No. 1 grades of motor spirit, and it remains to be seen, therefore, whether its claims for economy and other advantages will be considered to justify its use by motor transport vehicle owners. It is possible, however, that the exten-

sive use of ethyl petrol may influence engine design to the extent of raising the compression ratio and thus increasing thermal efficiency. Considerable controversy has occurred in America in regard to the use of petrol containing tetraethyl lead, for it was suggested that it had a damaging effect on the engine, and was not only injurious to handle, but that its exhaust, fumes were poisonous: but in a series of tests carried out by English motoring journals with the new fuel it was found that no harmful effects on the engine resulted from its use. The tests were carried out with a single-cylinder engine, which was afterwards dismantled for examination and an analysis made of samples of carbon deposit from the piston and cylinder head. The sparking plug and valves were found to he only very slightly affected. Furthermore, tests by American Government authorities showed that the fumes from petrol containing tetraetnyl lead or its exhaust gases were not harmful. On the other hand, it is strongly advised that ft should not be used for washing or cleaning, or, in fact for any purpose other than for fuel. NIGHT DRIVING. The importance of driving within the range of one’s lamps at night cannot be overestimated. If the effective range of the beams is 200 yards, then on no account should one drive at a speed greater than that which will permit the car to be brought to a dead stop within that distance. With four-wheel brakes and up-to-date lighting equipment the ruling hardly applies, providing ordinary touring speeds are not exceeded, but there are many cars on the roads of comparatively ancient vintage which are not up to date in these respects. For another point, the effectiveness of one s lamps depends, strange as it may seem, on things like the surface colour of the road, the weather, and the moon. A dry, greyish-white surface like that of concrete gives the best results, but when this or any other kind of surface is wet the power of one’s headlamps will appear to ba diminished. On a veribright moonlight night the same applies but in this case the moon gives back on the one hand what it takes away on the other Always keep the lamp glasses and the windscreen clean. When traversing a muddy or dusts route, make a point of pulling up and wiping the glasses about every 50 miles. AMATEUR PAINTING. Brush-on cellulose lacquers belong to an entirely new paint-world. They are one of the latest, and perhaps one of the greatest triumphs of the modern industrial chemist. They consist basically of celluloid dissolved in amyl acetate, having the familiar “pear-drop” smell; one speaks of them as lacquets, and looks

upon them as varnish colours made with celluloid varnish instead of the ordinary kind. Cellulose lacquers are remarkably easy to use. and work under the brush very much like enamels. They would appear to be ideal for all the little odd jobs about a car that an amateur often wishes to carry out himself, such as touching up control rods, painting tool boxes, and the hundred-and-one things for which one has hitherto used enamel. On the body of a car it is as essential to have a good surface for cellulose as it is for paint or enamel. The necessity for rubbing down-prior to any kind of painting is not fully realised until one lias had some little experience. The old paint must be perfectly hard and dry; cellulose will blister new paint. This can scarcely be reckoned a disadvantage, for no one would want to cellulose a new painted car. For the same reason it would not be advisable to use coach painters’ stopping. Stopping made of celluloid can be obtained from the cellui. lose lacquer manufacturers, and shallow chipped places can be filled with repeated doses of cellulose exactly in the depressions, so bringing them up level with the rest of the surface. As it dries in an hour these repeated doses —there may be three or four—are no particular drawback. In working with these paints one has constantly to be reminding oneself that it is not enamel, and that it has nothing to do with paint. Its ways are different. Brushes, for example, must not be cleaned with turps. When wet they clean perfectly well with hot water ami soap. If they have dried the makers’ special solvent or thinners will clean them; or they can be placed in the cellulose for a few minutes to soften them.

It is best to buy all the material for a job from one maker, and to use also the brushes supplied by the same concern. If one has to purchase a brush one may as well have one especially suited to the consistency of the cellulose; some cellulose is a little thicker than others, as is the case with enamels. It is quite a small poir’, perhaps, but worth mentioning as one occurring in actual experience. The brushes supplied are soft, and wide ones arc recommended. ’ The makers’ printed instructions should be followed as far as one can, but here, again, practical experience shows that considerable latitude is possible. All makers seem agreed upon the desirability of a full, flowing eoat, which means the brush should be deeply dipped, and the excess lightly scraped off on the edge of the tin. This gives a full brush, without any dropping off between the tin and the work. The cellulose is applied quite lightly, no heavy pressure being laid upon the brush, neither should it be dragged or daubed about in all directions. The aim is to lay it where it is wanted and leave it there. As beginners generally put paint on much too thickly, they should be nearly right at

once with cellulose. Too much io indicated by the paint going in "runs.” If it should, leave them; they will rub down easily, and can be touched in and surfaced without leaving any traces. This is one of the advantages of cellulose. It is paint and varnish in one, alike all through. INSTALMENT SELLING. About a year and a-half ago Professor Edwin R. A. Seligman, Columbia University, United Statec of America, undertook the most exhaustive- study ever made of instalment selling. His conclusions, recently made public, are that instalment selling is not only a sound method of financing the distribution of merchandise, but it has proved to be one of the most potent agencies in creating the great prosperity of the United States, and one which has increased production, stabilised output, reduced production cost, and increased purchasing power throughout the entire nation. As related to the automobile industry the soundness of such financing and its effect is obvious, to quote Professor Seligman: “If every motor car buyer had been obliged to accumulate enough cash to pay the entire purchase price before beginning to enjoy the use of a car, I doubt if there would now be even 10,000,000 cars in use. And certainly no such stimulation of the country’s prosperity as has resulted from the growth of the automobile industry could have been possible.” IDEAL IN ROADINC. An American truck company publishes the following:— It has been said that three things determine our economic and cultural progress, namely, transportation, agriculture, and communication, and that the nation attaining the highest economic development in these three essentials may dominate the world.

They constitute the measure of civilisation because the spread of civilisation depends upon the reduction in ton-inile costs of transportation, in low food prices, and in economic means for transmitting and exchanging thoughts overgreat distances. Of all three, however, the basic one seems to be highways, for without them the products of the farm must be consumed locally, and the costs of hauling, setting, and wiring telegraph and telephone poles and their high maintenance would "prohibit expansion beyond necessary trunk lines.

Not forgetting the wonderful accomplishments during the past 10 years, and because good roads are basic, it is gratifying to note a more or less new coneep-

tiou upon the part of engineers as to the actual function of our highway systems. The interrelations between the highways and the vehicles that use them has made it imperative that all highway engineers obtain a better understanding of what actual damage the vehicle does to the road as well as the damage the road does to a vehicle. For a long time after the motor vehicle became the predominant factor of highway traffic the attitude of officials was one of insistence that the vehicle must adapt itself to the road, and rather drastic legislative rulings were accordingly enacted in many States. Now practically every well-organised highway department is trying to adapt its system to the traffic.

So far as finances permit, construction and maintenance programmes are being based on the adequate accommodation of present and prospective users. Our everincieasing traffic constitutes one of the major problems of every community toda j, and although they are doing wonderful work highway engineers cannot be expected to solve all problems alone. Here, then, is the automotive engineers opportunity to render a distinct public service He can well offer to co-operate with highway engineers in the study of improving interrelating defects in the design of both roads and vehicles Resorting to restrictive highway laws should be the last thought. Co-ordinated engineering effort would result in better roads, better , vehicles, longer service and both Ct, °Th Ul i ,naintena «ce costs—f or PonM c+ T i eSG ., t "° RL’eat technical bodies could study the combined wear and tear on vehicles due to improper road design and. surface damages to the road bv d e owft ;^r^^x. tbe findings of° n did• S ’ P 7 n ' den^ business n °This atter H? W * reat ’ *“ Ud the wealth may be direct in ton-mile costs or in dit*i n he f ° m of im Proved living conport crown natht £ ’ hlg “' vays are J«st overwe have P , d bop e t f 0 Everything

cauglit over 400° U J o i M? rr i nsv iUe fishermen a creew that fl. ' 3 j’l”” 8 ; ,ast "eek in stream (states the" New ZeaL on the'Lid e ?f a a st g ’ck h °<* in shallow water. 1 * the * swaln P ast