Motorists’ Dreams Come True With Easy Gear-Change Marvels

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18255, 25 November 1933, Page 9

Motorists’ Dreams Come True With Easy GearChange Marvels

LONDON, Oct. 12. EVERY new motorist of 1934 will wear that top-gear look. There are scarcely a dozen cars in the International Motor Show at Olympia without some form of easy-gear change.

Engineers in all parts of the world have grappled with the problem lor years. It has now been definitely solved.

In two cases the change is entirely automatic. There is the Hayes gear, which is fitted as an optional extra in one of the Austin models. And America has sprung a surprise, for a gear that gives similar results is to be found on the Rio. In both eases the driver forgets gears altogether. The change is made for him. As soon as the engine labors, there is a pleasant little click and the right gear ratio is engaged. There are hosts of other devices, though, none quite as simple as these. But the days of crashing gears and tortured anticipations of the hill ahead are gone. And if you want to sec how the new gears work there is the demonstration display in the chassis section of the show. Automatic Starter,. There are many other aids to easy motoring at Olympia. There is the automatic starter. If your engine stalls in traffic the starter conveniently seta it going again. This will be found on many models, including the inexpensive family cars. ;Some makers have adopted fourwheel jacks, which will raise the car in a minute or so. Nearly all the new cars have some form of driving signal to obviate your having to put out vour hand on cold or wet nights. Dip sticks to test the level of oil in the gear box arc another innovation. They save you the troublo of taking the lid off. Free-wheel motoring, which enables the car to "coast” like a bicycle, has come in with a rush. In itself the freewheel simplifies gear-changing. It also saves your petrol bill. Plating While You Wait! Chromium plating while you wait ! This is one of the marvels revealed in the accessory section. It represents one of the most important discoveries of recent years. The writer saw chromium being deposited on a part of a motor car as quickly as that part could be cleaned. Hitherto the plating of metals cloetro-cheraically has been confined to the workshop. Nearly every important motoring firm has a costly plant for this purpose. The process is a dangerous one. Special Home Office regulations have to be observed. Workers aro, required to drink two pints of milk eacn day to counteract the effects of the fumes. In some cases special masks have to bo worn. Until now car owners requiring new chromium for components like radiators have had to send them away to the workshop. In future this job will be carried out as quickly as a wash or polish. This seeming miraclo is achieved by apparatus no bigger titan a portable, wireless sot. It caß.be operated }.)j a Royice, and no precautions are necessary. Pen-Knifo Test. A pad is dipped into the liquid plating. An electric current is passed through the pad. The pad is rubbed on the part that requires replating, and leaves behind a deposit of tin required thickness.. , i A second after, you can .try in vaiii to scale the plating with a pen-knife. The same process applies, to copper, nickel, cadmium and silver. v »•, ]| is claimed that this new’process will put us ahead of the world in the plating industry. The things inventors have been thinking, about 1 for years have ail come true at Olympia. It is the most advanced Motor Show of the long series.