Motor and Cycle

Otago Witness, Issue 3898, 27 November 1928, Page 68

Motor and Cycle

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DEMON.

Several members of the Otago Motor (Club congratulated their president (Mr A. E. Ansell) at the meeting of the club last week on being the successful candidate at the recent election for Chalmers, and their remarks met with general approval. Mr Ansell, in returning thanks, said that party affairs had never entered into .the discussions at their club meetings, and that although he had been returned as a supporter of the Reform Government that fact would not interfere with the practice of keeping party affairs out of the club proceedings. Like the erring motorists of the Continent, Auckland car r owners who make some minor breaches of the by-laws should' be fined on the spot, according to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (says the Auckland Star ). At the meeting late last week, Mr C. F. Bennett said that far too many trivial cases were brought before the courts. He thought that traffic inspectors and policemen should have power to fine motorists for the smaller offences immediately one of the minor by-laws was broken. That method would save time and money. He thought the Chamber of Commerce should take some action, and it was eventually decided to refer the matter to the executive to consult with magistrates and the Auckland Automobile Association.

“ When you’re in Napier you must do as Napier does ” (says the Gisborne Times). A visiting magistrate, motoring through the town, was informed of this with due dignity by a constable. He had the tail-light of his car set high up in the centre of the hood when he drove into the Hawke’s Bay capital. “ Why haven’t you got your tail-light in the proper place?” asked the constable who stopped him. “ The police allow us to have the tail-lights there where I come from,” was the magistrate’s reply. “ But you’re not in now; you’re in Napier, and the regulations say it shall be as near as possible to he right-hand side, on a level with the chassis,” replied the man in blue. The magistrate had the light shifted without further ado.

The penalties imposed on motor car thieVes by magistrates do not find favour in many quarters (says our special correspondent in Auckland). Mr C. W. Hutchinson (secretary of the Auckland Automobile Association) considers that the punishment is often too lenient. He quotes the case of a man who was caught stealing a car redhanded and whose case was adjourned by the court for two years on payment of small costs. “We sent the facts to the Minister of Justice,” said Mr Hutchinson, “ and he agreed that it did not seem quite right.” Every month numerous cars are stolen in Auckland, and many interested persons agree with Mr Hutchinson that heavy penalties are needed.

Frederick Shepherd, of Dunedin, was charged at the Waimate Court on Tuesday with negligently driving a motor car on October 17 at Makikihi. The police brought evidence to show that the defendant was travelling on the south road towards Oamaru at a fast speed. When passing a group of children who were playing he struck one who ran out from the side of the road. He immediately pulled up and conveyed the child back ~■ to the school. For the defence, it was contended that the defendant had taken every care when passing the school. He saw the children, and kept sounding his horn, but the child Caird, who was struck, could not have heard it, as she proved to be deaf, and she ran right into the side of the. car. The magistrate held that there was not sufficient evidence of negligent driving, and dismissed the case.

A visiting motorist is of the opinion that few places in the South Island excel the North Spit as a holiday resort. In conversation with our representative, he stated that he was greatly impressed with the natural grandeur of the towering cliffs, the bathing .lure of the white sandy beaches, and the wonderful sea perspective, with the distant coastline merging into the horizon in the vicinity of Moeraki. It was a picture not quickly forgotten. .Visitors are not alone, however, in appreciating the attractions of the' Spit, but hitherto its popularity has . been handicapped by the narrow, tortuous road leading to it from Port Chalmers. That handicap has been largely removed recently- by the Public Works Department widening the road, which, when metalled, will be very passable. The Public Works Department’s men are at present improving the last bad corner at Taylor’s Point.

One of the sights at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day was the huge gathering of beautiful cars. Anyone who took a stroll i n amongst the thousands of modern automobiles, resplendent in their elegance, comfort, and brilliant colouring', could hardly realise that it was not so many years ago that a controversy’ raged over the question whether motor cars -were to be admitted to the famous Flemington course. To-day a feature of the Cup carnival is the wonderful display of the finest and choicest cars the wqrld produces. An interesting annual feature of this great aggregation of cars is an accurate census taken by the Dunlop Rubber Company of the cars in the various parking areas inside and outside the course with a view to ascertaining the percentage of various makes of tyres fitted- to the army of cars in attendance. The registered number of every car parked is tabulated, and with it the makes dr

make of tyres each vehicle is equipped with. This year 29 makes of tyres were m evidence. All told, over a third of all the thousands of cars in attendance were shod , with Dunlop tyres, or, to be exact, over 35 per cent. TO REMOVE TAR. Every motorist realises that the process of covering roads with a waterproof layer of tar is desirable from the point" of view of preservation of <,116 surface, but xvhen one’s paintwork has become liberally coated with the tenacious black liquid it is not always easy to appreciate' the economics of the question. The spraying campaign usually starts with hot weather and continues into late summer, and one is liable to encounter sections of wet tar in one part or another of the country! In proceeding over tarred surfaces treated either with fine gravel or with sand, it is almost impossible to avoid receiving a certain quantity on the bodywork and mudguards. Even when one drives slowly, as is natural in the circumstances, it frequently happens that another vehicle will overtake and spray the fine gravel over one’s car, or a similar effect will be produced by an approaching vehicle. It is rather surprising how many fine stones actually reach the top of the bonnet and scuttle, or actually lodge themselves on the screen. In any case, each little stone or grain of sand carries with it a particle of tar, which instantly transfers itself to the paintwork, with exasperating results. Complete removal of the offending intruder without detriment to the paint is not too easy a process. It is best to tackle the question as soon as possible, before the tar has had time to set properly. Perhaps as good a remedy as any is the old-fashioned one of applying butter to the affected areas. Butter, and plenty of it, will usually dislodge tar stains that are not too old.

QUICK THINKING NECESSARY. A Canadian police magistrate recentlyput forward a suggestion to motorists which, if generally followed, should brin-r about a safer condition of affairs on the roads.. Many new drivers are deficient in their judgment of speed and. time in relation to distance. The magistrate really elaborates this point when he advises drivers to cease to think in terms of miles and hours and to think in terms of. feet and seconds. Enlarging upon this, he continues: “If an object suddenly crosses your path 50ft ahead from where you are sitting at the wheel, and you are. travelling at 30 m.p.h., you have only Isec in which to act to avoid an accident, and only half a second if the object is only 25ft away. A motor car travelling 15 m.p.h. is covering 22ft per second; at 20 m.p.h. it is covering 29ft per second; at 25. miles, 36ft; at 30 miles 44ft; at 35 miles, 51ft; at 40 miles’ 58ft; at 45 miles, 66ft. What should therefore be constantly in the motorist’s thoughts is the time limit which his speed is setting for him should an emergency arise.”

There are, of course, experienced drivers will 1)6 able to say they have found all this out for themselves. On the other hand, there must be many who have never given a thought to the number of feet they are travelling in a second and what, therefore, is the fractional period of time they have i n which to act in face of an emergency. A driver whose perception is thus trained in terms of feet and seconds is much more likely to have his car in constant control, 'and must be quicker to judge the speed and possible action of some more irresponsible driver. In other words, it is not space and time behind, but space and time immediately ahead that he may have to reckon with.

Judgment in driving should always be concerned in anticipating the unexpected. Ihinking in terms of feet and seconds is a sound policy, and the figures shown in . thig- article should impress upon all drivers the need for concentrating upon the job in hand, for, particularly in these days of crowded roads, driving does reallv call for careful calculation all the time. WEAR ON TYRES. Many tyre troubles arise as the direct result of mechanical faults in the vehicle. Briefly, any condition which creates a tendency to move the wheels in any direction other than that of their rotation, comes within the scope of misalignment, and is detrimental to tvres In a general way the fault 'first evidences itself in irregular or abnormally rapid tread wear, but many motorists of experience will be sensitive to some eccentricity in the steering. . Prompt investigation may bring the fault to light before serious results ensue. Defects of this nature usually demand the attention °n a competent engineer, but will geriera2'y he found to be one or another of the following: Bent stub axles, bent steering tie-rod, looseness or play in steering connections, unequal set in springs ' resulting from maladjustment, or from a broken spring leaf, bent torque rod, wheel out of round or loose at bearings. Occa sionally the front wheel tyres will be observed to have worn completely down on one side, the other being almost untouched The explanation of this lies in the splay of the wheels, often adopted to promote easy steering, and where this condition exists the tyres - should be changed from side to side periodically to ensure uniform ■wear. A too fierce clutch, or one that is carelessly operated, may produce effects similar to chose of unduly harsh brake action by causing the rear

wheels to accelerate more rapidly than the tyres can convey the impulse to the vehicle. In this case, of course, the more effective the non-skid design of the tread the less damage it sustains, but additional strains are imposed upon the casing, and the tyre suffers accordingly. AN ENGLISH SLEEPER BUS. A new sleeping car service between London and Liverpool commenced in August. The 12-berth body is said to offer extreme comfort, and this should be the forerunner of many all-night omnibus services. The sleeping car leaves London at 11 p.m. and arrives in Liverpool at 8.30 a.m., the fare being £1 5s a berth, or a few pence more than a third-class railway. fare. The suspension of the vehicle is so good that tea can be taken in comfort at 30 m.p.h. The steward relieves the driver at the wheei occasionally, and only one stop is made in the 210-mile trip. CRANKCASE DRAINING. The most satisfactory way of draining the oil from the engine is to run the engine until it is thoroughly warm, and then open the drain plug and allow the engine to drain for some hours, “ turning the engine over ” with the starting handle occasionally during this period to assist in the draining of the oil from the various parts of the engine. The custom of flushing the crankcase with kerosene is not a good one. The kerosene certainly washes away the oil and probably any remaining particles of foreign matter, but, unfortunately, there are pockets in which it can remain, and if left in these pockets it will dilute the oil to a degree which will reduce the viscosity and, therefore, its pressure resisting power to a limit at which it is unsafe to run the car without the- risk of piston seizure or the running of the bearings. The better method is to put in a fresh charge of oil, run the engine until thoroughly warmed, and drain, and then refill with new oil to the proper level. The flushing oil need not be considered as water; if it is allowed to stand undisturbed for a week or more any suspended particles will have settled nut, and the oil will be perfectly safe for make-up as the engine requires it. Such oil should be strained through very fine lawn before it is used..

INCREASE IN BRITISH OUTPUT. From statistics recently given in the commerce reports of the United States • Department of Commerce it is clear that Great Britain as a producer of motor vehicles is forging ahead, and the number of vehicles being manufactured in England is in fact steadily increasing, while the number manufactured in the United States is, according to the report in question, diminishing. The report gives comparative figures of output of passenger and commercial vehicles as follows:—

THE SIX-WHEELER.. Numerous severe tests and long-dis-tance trials of the rigid motor vehicle have been carried out\in Australia within the past couple of years, and everywhere the success of this type of transport for rough country is bein> T acclaimed. One of the first of these vehicles brought to Australia was acquired by an oil company, and it is reported that its use has entirely overcome the . previously insuperable difficulties which the company had experienced in maintaining efficient distribution of supplies during the winter when the roads in the outlying districts were impassable, and it was no uncommon occurrence for cars to become stranded in deep mud. fl. he six-wheeler, * when equipped with non-skid chains on the driving wheels, was able to plough its way through mud axle deep, and even to pull out a stranded touring car “in its stride,” proving that the vehicle possessed a remarkable reserve of power. A NOTEWORTHY FEAT. Few points of the Australian continent now remain to be conquered by the automobile. Word is to hand that for the first time a motor car has been driven into Cooktown, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Queensland. During the past 20 years the only vehicle tp reach Cooktown by the overland route was a bullock wagon in 1924, and then only after months of hard travelling. The honour of being the first car to reach this northern town under its own power has been won by an Austin, the occupants of which upon arrival were accorded a civic reception..

BEST FROM THE ENGINE. The engine being the heart of the car the novice driver should devote attention u° U l a Y Old the very common dm ing fault whereby the engine is kerit ™„,„g with the highest gear ta ser.S while every effort is made to keen the crankshaft turning at high power but slow revolutions without “ pinking.” Generally this means that the accelerator pedal is pressed down to the limit and the ini. r ® tarded farther and yet farther revent knocking. ’ There is no more crude or unscientific method of driving hk f f U 11 ® fficien cy is obtained from the petrol so burned. The retarded ignition does not fire the gas until the stroke I hp„ COnS + I k erab - e on the down ’ u oke > heQ ce there is loss of efficiency altogether apart from that occasioned by incompiete combustion owing to the uffir suitable proportions of the mixture, f urther, to occasion terrifically heavy explosions at slow revolutions is. to put the maximum strain on the crankshaft, pistons, big ends, and other gear. m J he tO + t rive a . car to S efc Pleasure out of it, together with the best performance, is to burn as much spark and as little petrol .as possible. Thus the engine ought to be run with the spark advanced as far as possible and with the throttle , pedal, depressed as little as possible. If. this is done it very often will be discovered that it is not possible to get a car to progress on the top gear without . - That is really the most reliable information obtainable as to when a lower gear should be used. Gears are furnished to be used. Experience will soon enable the beginner to foreknow the plant P oln f on his particular power A MECHANICAL ARMY. The result of the recent army manoeuvres in Sussex has been to conjure up vivid pictures of the time when every soldier will motor into battle, and one is bound to speculate on the probability of’ mechantry ” taking the place of “ infanin the army vocabulary. The army of the past “marched on its stomach.” That of the future will certainly move “ a-wheel.” So sweeping is the change which is being brought about by mechanisation that wheels are now indispensable to the ready and rapid movement of troops, and the infantryman and the trooper are mak-

ing way for the men who understand machinery. Petrol is the moving spirit- ” of the up-to-date ,British army, and that spirit is displacing hay as XJie fodder that is most essential. Where one gallon sufficed before the war, thousands of gallons are now needed, and although it may yet be some years before a soldier will be conveyed to the advanced areas by motor bus or charabanc there is no doubt that the recent manoeuvres have demonstrated that the mechanical transport section of the army is assuming increasing importance*. Every tpye of mechanically propelled vehicle was in evidence during the mimic warfare in Sussex, doing indispensable and useful service. Even the ordinary “ push bike ” was pressed into service when necessary, while the despatch rider still relies on his motor eye’e. Where commanding and staff officers once surveyed operations mounted on horseback there is now a fleet of cars varying from “babies” to six-cylinder “ sixties.” , The mechanical transport section of the army is for ever exercising the inventiveness of the British motor engineer. It demands from him a small “ semi-track ” vehicle which may be seen hustling signallers or staff over broken ground to some new location. It demands a fulltrack vehicle for towing 18-pounders or howitzers and carrying gun crews; it demands a monster 12-ton tank that snorts and rattles over and through obstructions at a speed that seems more suitable to a modern road: and it demands the light two-men tank with its curious steel protection. It was undoubtedly a result of the demand from the military authorities for vehicles which would be equally suitable for road and cross-country employment that caused British manufacturers to turn their attention to the design and production of six-wheeled vehicles w’ith the consequence that not only has a type of vehicle been evolved which satisfies the requirements of the War Department, but the call by users for large-capacity vehicles for passenger and goods-c-arrying services has been responded to. Designed as this tyne of vehicle is for satisfactory service over any kind of road, or where no road at all exists, it has also been found to be ideal for colonial and dominion requirements, 'and British-made sixwheeled vehicles are now providing the ready and efficient means of transport where previously in many cases no form of communication at all existed, or where at the best such transport ae was possible was provided by means of 'animals. CONVERSION OF A CAR. WELLINGTON, November 21. He was out of work and wished to go to Auckland. This was the excuse of Clifford Corrin, aged 18, to Mr J. 11. Salmon, S.M., He pleaued guilty to having converted a car valued at £250 to his own use, and having stolen a rim and tyre valued at £5 13s 3d, the property of Levin and Co. It was stated that the accused set off north, and disposed of the rim and the tyre at Levin to obtain petrol. The car was damaged to the extent of £4O, and expenses amounting to £lO 2s Id were incurred in getting the car back to Wellington. Corrin had been fined at Te Kuiti for obtaining petrol by false pretences and driving without a license. Defendant, on asking for probation, was addressed by the magistrate: “ You take a valuable ear and misuse it, and expect to be treated as you suggest. The offence is treated leniently enough by the Legislature. The maximum penalty is only three months. This class of offence is a serious one, and is becoming prevalent.” Corrin was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. ORGANISED GANGS AT WORK. AUCKLAND, November 21. “To my knowledge there are three gangs .at work in Auckland destroying cars by fire for a consideration.” This assertion, astounding though it appears (says the Sun), was made in deep seriousness by an insurance adjuster who handles a great many of the motor-car losses by fire in the Auckland province. Uigures show that the number of cars burned in Auckland is the highest in the world when considered on a percentage basis. In Auckland, 40 per cent, of the motor-ear fires come within the. category of suspicious outbreaks, 10 per cent, are attributed to deliberate incendiarism, and in 75 per qent. of the fires direct benefit can be traced to the owner of the vehicle. These figures, though necessarily slightly elastic in their application, are quoted as a general indication of the situation in Auckland, and are computed from estimates given by motor men, insurance adjusters, and other students of the swelling calendar of motor-car losses, as well as from actual records taken over specific periods. The premiums charged upon motor cars in Auckland are among the lowest in the world. The fire ratio among lost vehicles is the highest in the world. During last year one insurance company in the city paid out just under £13,000 in ear losses, including third party risks, damage by impact, and loss by theft; and of that amount approximately 40 per cent, of the damage was caused by fire. The recognised average fire ratio in normal industrial times is around about 20 per cent, of the cars destroyed. In and around Auckland motor-car thefts have increased enormously during recent months, and many of the stolen vehicles have been discovered on lonely and deserted roads transformed into heaps of ashes and twisted iron. Many of them were worn out and decrepit, and in over 90 per cent, of the fires were over-insured. “Cannot you get at this gang?” one man was asked. . “We know who they are. and we know they are operating,” he replied, “but we cannot bring any proof to incriminate them.” “ How much do they receive for this work? ” “Anything from £lO to £25 a car. Frequently, of course, it depends upon

the success of the owner- in his negotiations with the insurance company. Over 200 cars are lost by fire in the Auckland province in a year. Chief among the causes are back firing short circuits in the electrical mechanism, and unknown reasons, and it is estimated that 60 per cent, of the outbreaks are due ■to faulty electrical equipment, 25 per. cent, to gross carelessness, and 10 per cent, of the remaining 15 per cent, to deliberate incendiarism.”

U.S.A. Great Britain. 1925 , . 4,265,704 176,800 1926 . 4,298,799 198,699 1927 . 3,394,255 231,920