MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1917, Page 8

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

NEWS AND NOTES. When Henry Ford, the American multimillionaire car manufacturer, was 17 years old he earned 13s a week. When he was fifty-two he owned 270 acres of manufacturing plant, with 0000 machines operating in one room, and every one of his more than 20,000 employees receiving more each day than he received each week thirty-five years before. A „novel and strenuous performance was recently undertaken in England by Lieut. T. 0. Muller. of the Danish Army. He undertook to cycle, run, walk, paddle, scull and swim half a mile each all within 30 minutes. After one failure he accomplished the feat with i>o 3-5 see. to spare, the cycling typ, carried out on an ordinary roadster, occupying Imin .IS 1 sec. Lieutenant Mullet, is 51 vears of age.

When Arthur Spencer annexed the American professional sprint championship from Frank Kramer recently, he issued a challenge to his redoubtable adversary for a match race, and followers of racing in the States have looked forward to this event with considerable interest. By winning the first heat Kramer raised great hopes among his supporters, * but Spencer outpaced him in the remaining two heats, and thus won the match.

The American authorities have prae>

tically decided on adopting standardised specifications for the motor vehicles intended'for war purposes. It is expected iliat before the end of 1917 motor trucks will be produced by the American manufacturers which will be entirely standard with respect to interchanging important parts. Engines, chain speed sets, axles radiators, springs and even frames will be so closely alike in external dimensions

that one can be easily replaced by another unit from a vehicle of different manufacture. Considerable objection was raised to this standardisation when it was first spoken of, 011 the ground that it would hamper originality of design. There is, however, no foundation for this belief, inasmuch as the only parts that are to he standardised are those relating to the location or placing of the part in the frame structure. Engine hangers, for example, must all have a certain relation relative to the longitudinal centre line of the engine, and engines must have a standard transmission coupling and must also have the same location for the various auxiliary parts. This d&ps not mean that the details of il e interior of the engine will need to be alike. The designer can use his originality in perfecting the inner parts of the engine which, after all, aro the parts that, have the material bearing on the production of power. The interchangeability of parts will be a boon to the truck assembler, inasmuch as if he fails to obtain deliveries of certain units from one parts maker, ho can. obtain a. part of different design and manufacture. that will have exactly the same system of installation hangers as prevails in the one that he could [not obtain originally. There are good reasons for this standardisation, as it is an accepted fact that it has been "proved during the present war that an army can not use motor vehicles of all types indiscriminately without great difficulties. Not only does it produce trouble in forming convoys if the trucks are of different manufacture, but it also complicates the equipment. necessary for maintenance. The more trucks of the same make that an army has .tlie more its problem of maintenance is simplified. Another advantage of the standardisation is that the American Government will have a larse number of manufacturers to draw upon in case of need. It is quite evident by

the careful study that ia now beln!> given to this subject, that the United States Army will be in possession of the m 0.4 complete motor truck equipment of any army in the world, and one that will be of great value, because It will have been designed for the purpose intended and be composed of units wc'l adapted to eo-ordinate in the way that is necessary to secure most efficient transportation. A Bill has recently boeen passed by the New York State (U.S.A.) which requires that all motor ear head lamps must be Mutably controlled or deflected so as to avoid nny danger of dazzling the eyes of those approaching from the

front. ' The glare, nuisance Is} becoming So a'cule in tills country that it is time

the authorities took some steps with a view to reducing dazzling head lamp effects on city and suburban roads. Since tlio advent of the electric lighting sr-ts. the trouble has greatly increased and on certain thoroughfares it is positively dangerous drivinz id to the el are c>{ ;hi*se

nndlmmed lights; in fact, one is to all intents and purposes blinded for fie tirce being whilst witjiii) the range of the;e lamps. In America the trouble is' being grappled with and many devices are now marketed that minimise the glaring headlight. Reeehtlv 38 devices we"* tested by the Xew York State Motor Federation and 25 of them were found to be capable of curbing the glare within the restrictions now imposed by the law, If they can bo curbed in America the problem is not insoluble in this country. In this connection an exper cnced motorist slates tl.at the desired end can be attained bv painting over the lower half of the lens, and not the upper half as is frequently recommended. He adds that this ean be tested by driving the car up to within a few feet of the garage door, or a wall, in such a maftnv (hilt the lights will throw two bright circles or spots, then cut off the light from one lajnp by covering up first the lower, and then the upper half. When tha lower half is covered, it will be found that the light. Is thrown directly on the ground front of the car. while, if the upper half is covered, the light is thrown in the air and directly in the f.tcc of the approa?hDg drive? ar podcsfriiyi