MOTOR NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16604, 6 December 1924, Page 9

MOTOR NOTES.

OLYMPIA MOTOR SHOW.

A RECORD DISPLAY

nil; age of cheap cars

LONDON, Oct. L'l.—There are about us many motor-cars on show at Olympiu, Kensington, to-day as there were paintings in the Royal Academy Exhibition, and the vehicles art; wellnigh as contrasted, rungiug from little ears completely ready for the road at Ullo, and which will lake you n dis lance of between fifty and. sixty miles over hill and dale on a gallon of fuel. available at less than pre-war coal,, tu the largest motor carriage ever standardised, an enclosed landaulettc de lu.\e on a to u.p. Daimler chassis,, with 18ft. I'm. wheelbase. GOin. in track. Duulop straight-sided "balloon''' tyres, and a remarkably low eu truuee front the pavement level 'without prejudice to Ihe amplitude of liead-rooni inside. This carriage i: proportionately as cheap as the smallest, of cars, the whole being listed at i-'iiiKi, which is but. £IOO more than I lie price of certain standardised highpowered chassis. This year's Olympia is of a thoroughly repiTnentalivc and inter national character. In all, there are about -lib exhibitors. Of these, about ;>2O are showing accessories, components and tyres. Of the remaining 120, who are exhibiting complete vehiv clos, just about 60 arc British, and the remaining GO foreign. This is the result of the consistent policy of the British industry, which has always been in favor of showing its products alongside of those of its foreign competitors, so as to invite direct comparison of their merits and value. For years past the special ideal of British motor manufacturers has been to ensure economy in operation. For this purpose they have developed engines of very high efficiency and have employed, more or less, irrespective of cost, the very best modern materials. Thus the ratio of power to weight him been much improved, with the result that the standard of performance is much higher than it used to be and, nevertheless, running costs under such important headings as fuel and tyres have been considerably reduced.

In connection with the ideal of comfort, this year's show reveals the fact that a de luxe car is uo longer beyond the reach of the man of moderate means. The highest class of finish and equipment, both of body and chassis, is now consistent with very reasonable price. Increased comfort in motoring is provided not only by improvement in chassis details. The all-weather equipment of touring cars is far more complete and effective than it has been hitherto. Seats are placed in comfortable angles, and windscreens positioned to give the'muximum of protection. Closed cars, meanwhile, grow in popularity, partly because modern chassis, even of tho smaller types, have ample power, and partly, again, because saloon bodies can now be built weighing little, if anything, more than open touring bodies. The exhibition, regarded as a whole, must certainly have a reassuring effect on those viho have iu the past had reason to doubt the permanence and vitality of the British motor in dustry.

ACROSS UNKNOWN AUSTRALIA

AX ALL-BRITISH EXPEDITION.

An all-British motor expedition across unknown Australia, which will rival if it does not surpass the French achievement of crossing the Sahara in motor cars, will be undertaken next May and June by Mr. Michael Terry, F.R.G.S. Last year Mr. Terry took a Ford car expedition across .'IOOO miles of Northern Australian wilds, and ha 3 the distinction of being the youngest man to lecture before the Jtoysi'l Geugraphical Society. Next year's journey will be considerably more difficult and dangerous. It will involve crossing what is known as the Great .Sandy Desert, including 500 miles of territory entirely unknown, and reputed to possess only one known water bole. The oxpoditiou -would probaibly be in> practicable without tho assistance of wireless equipment by which iiightly wireless bulletins of progress will be transmitted.

The personnel will consist of si* men led by Mr. Terry. Each man will be a specialist iu his own line, aud a surveyor and a geologist will be included. The party will travel iu three caterpillar-track motor vehicles of a new type, each of onc-tou ca>pa-j city. The expedition will start from the Darwin railway terminus, and. after crossing the (treat Sandy Desert, will probably emerge at Port Headland, though it is hoped if possible to continue the journey southwards to I'erlh. The primary object of the expedition is to explore the possibilities of tin; unknown regions, particularly in relation to gold mining ami cotton growing. The country to be traversed includes a "missing link" in the Australian gold-yielding territories, ami. in addition lo the fact that the attempt, if successful, will constitute the biggest feat of motor exploration yet achieved, the commercial prospects opeued up may be of great value. Mr. Terry financed last year's expedition himself, but this year is not in a position to do so. A syndicate is in process of being formed to control the various interests involved, and Mr. Terry is awaiting the completion of arrangements before going to Australia to make tho extensive preparations which will be necessary.

SMALL CAR'S 102 MILES AN HOUR.

SPEED RECORD BROKEN

A SMASH AT BROOKLANDS MEETING.

At an average speed of 102.-7 miles an h\iui. Mr. K. Lee Guinness, driving a super-charged Darracq motor car, won the 200 miles race for small cars of IjoOOc.c. (nominal 12 horse-power) on the Brooklands track at Weyibridgo. This is a world's record for the distance. Two other Durracq cars were .second, and third. The class for 1,100c.e. cars (nominal 10 horse-power) was won by a Salmson, driven by Mr, C. WilsonJones, and the event for "baby" cars of 750c.c. was won by Mr, E. C. Gordon England on uu Austin. All I luce classes were started'lege Iher and 40 cars lined up. Matters were a little confused at lirst, but. then there emerged the three sleek, blue forms of the Darracq cars, which' slid into first position high up on the saucer-like rim of the track aud stayed there for the whole of the race.

For n long while the yellow A.C., driven by Mr. .!. A. Joyce, clung bravely to Mm heels of the Darraeqs. but Die .peed they set was 100 fierce and towards the end of the race the A.C. was several Japs behind.

CRASH AT 00 MILES AN HOUR. There was a serious accident to a Morgan three-wheeler, driven by Mr. E. B. Ware. While travelling at 00 miles an hour near the stand, it swerved and spun rouug like a fop. Then it crashed broadside' into the banking, and Mr. Ware, who win thrown Out, was seriously injured, and his mechanic. A./R. Allchiu, slightly injured.

To get them off the course, two stretcher-bearers made a. dash across (be track while (he race was still on.

When passing the stand, tho Thorny ; Special car. driven by Mr. J. G. !'■ Thomas, lost n lyre, which raced ahead of him along the track. There were so many cars on lite course llial violent braking might have led to a swerve and disaster, and Mr. Thomas let the car slow down gradually, completing nearly a lap.

NEW WOULD'S SPEED RECORD

SUNBEAM'S lib' MILES AN HOUR. TENBY, October 21.—England snatched a. world's record from Italy this morning on the Pendine Sands, when Captain Malcolm Campbell, driving the twelve-cylinder 3.10 horse-power Sunbeam racing car. was limed by the Royal Automobile Club's ulticial timekeepers, and covered a kilometre with n flying start in the mean time of 15.305 seconds, which is equal to a speed of 2i!5.21 kilometres or 1415. Id miles per hour. This speed beats the old living kilometre record made by Mr. E. A. D. Eldrcdge in France recently, his Fiat's mean speed being 14(5.002 miles per hour for that distance.

The huge Sunbeam on its lirst run westward on the Pendiue Sands covered the kilometre in 15.01 seconds, and the mile in -1.-t.'J seconds, so though the kilometre speed was faster than on Wednesday the mile was slower owing lo the soft patches of wet sand. On the fourth run eastward the kilometre time was 15.(50 seconds, this being the fastest kilos this way of the course. It was, however, on the second run up the eastward side that the car made its best time of 25.17 seconds. His meau speed up and down the course was, therefore, half of the two runs, so that for the kilometre it worked out al, 14(5.10 miles per hour, the fastest mean speed of the world. Covered with spray and sand and seeing the cuurse markings only indifferently, it is difficult to realise how great a feat has been accomplished.

FRENCH GRAND PRIX,

SUNBEAM'S GREAT SPEED

In the European Grand Brix, which was held on the Lyons circuit on August o, the maximum speed recorded was 2.14 k.p.h., equal to 100 m.p.h. The Automobile Club de i'rauce reports that this remarkable speed was obtained by Mr. K. Lee Guinness on one of the six-eyliudei Sunbeam cars. Notwithstanding the trouble which was experienced with the magnetos on the Sunbeam can-., not only was this enormous speed oh taiuod on one of them, but also th» fastest circuit was made by Ma jo* Segruve ou auolher Sunbeam mode,.

HIGH SPEED. Cable advice from Chicago state;that a Henderson motor cycle has jus* established a record of 1-7 miles p.. hour — a speed tar in advance Of uny previously accomplished by a moto. cycle. i

TOMMY MILTON TJES SPEED WAY RECORD: 120 MILES PEL HOUR.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., October 2:J.~ Tommy Milton of Los Angeles, late or Wednesday tied the world's record fo. a, single lap ou an automobile speci' way by spiuuiug around Charlotte'> new wooden bowl at J 25.7 miles an hour.

This record was established b; Ernio Austerberg on tbe Altooua, Pa. speedway, on August 20 last. Austerberg was killed iu a tryout spiu or the Charlotte speedway last Thursday Wilton tied the record on Wednesday while practicing for the 250-mil* inaugural race at the new mile-and-t quarter speedway here qext Saturda>.

HIGH-SPEED ENAMELLING LONDON, October 21.—A molor car oody was completely and efficiently enamelled in two minutes ami fo.lyfive seconds in the presence of a feathering of motor and other experts at Messrs, Robert Ingham Clark and Co.'s West Ham works. The feat was accomplished with * "Carmolaid," which has the distinction of 'being the only celluloid enamel that can be applied to the body of a motor car by the "flowing" process. With the aid of a .small hose, with a quarterinch nozzle, the operator "flowed" the enamel ou lo the metal of the car body, and tho fluid dried so rapidly that a, second coat was aide to be applied within half an hour. Two hours later the car was fit for the road.-The finished body had a (beautiful rich tone, which, it was stated, would improve with age.

A RTIFICIA L PETROL. PARIS, October 21. —French motorists may now look forward to the pleasant prospect of unlimited supplies of petrol at a price of about 3f (Od) a gallon. This revelation, which will have a most important effect not only on tho motor industry, but on the economic position of France, was made yesterday at the exhibition' of synthetic motor fuels held at Buc, when the public were able to see motors running on petrol which had been obtained from lignite coke, and water. MM. Andry-Bourgeois tjud Olivier, have recently discovered that they can make petrol from almost any substance containing carbon. The sample with which they haVe given a conclusive demonstration was made, from water aud lignite coke —a residue which had previously hardly any commercial value. Beat coal dust, charcoal dust, and sawdust, and a number of other low-grade combustibles may be used. The new process is based on the watergas method. Carbon containing the material mixed with water is lirst converted into a mixture of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, commonly known as water-gas, which, iu turn, is changed to methane, or marsh gas. This is passed through an apparatus iu which, under action of high frequency currents, il becomes condensed into acetylene. This acetylene, in turn, is passed into vessels which the inventors call "catalyseurs," from which it emerges eventually in the form of thick oil, which, on being distilled, yields pure petrol, burning oil. and lubricating oil. Of these three products, petrol is the most abundant', forming 75 per cent, of the whole. The various chemical processes referred to have been known for a long time, but the secret of the new invention lies in the "eatttly eur;-. "