MOTOR AND CYCLE

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1929, Page 18

MOTOR AND CYCLE

CAR IMPROVEMENTS. ABUSED INVENTIONS. WHEN CHEAPNESS DOES NOT PAY. (By Gerald Ely. —Special to News.) 1 London, May 30. It sometimes happens that inventions designed to improve the safety and comfort of motor car owners fail to achieve their full purpose because they are either misused or are subjected, in all honesty, to undesirable cheapening processes. The fabric body forms a case in point. When this type of bodywork was first introduced its many advantages were immediately recognised, and it became all the rage. Every car purchaser who had ambitions to keep abreast of automobile design clamoured for a fabric body, but many others to whom the practical advantages of such bodywork were of less account than the “look of the thing,” were more than content to secure a fabric-covered body which cost much ess than the real fabric body yet gave the impression of being the authentic : article. Makers of certain low-priced I cars began hurriedly to put coverings of cheap fabric over the wood or steel of. the ordinary standard bodies, and threw them on the market, where they were snapped up like hot cakes by purchasers determined to be in the fashion. But the cheap fabric soon began to peel and look shoddy, with the result that the very name of fabric began to be held in detestation by disappointed owners, and an entirely unmerited slur was. cast upon the real fabric body which is not now as popular as it was even two years ago. As an example of the length to which traducers of the fabric body will go, it may be mentioned that the opinion is quite honestly held by some credulous folk that • rain soaks in between the inner and outer “walls” of the fabric body, and, acting upon the stuffing, creates a state of affairs normally associated with ripe cheese!

WILD ALLEGATIONS.

As is so often the case with wild allegations, it is impossible to come into contact with first-hand evidence. It is always “somebody who knows somebody who had a car—” Against absurd stories such as these must be placed the direct, first-hand evidenee of satisfied motorists who have owned cars with real fabric bodies for years, and who continue to swear by them for their comfort, convenience and the decided help their lightness affords to the engine. Still, these stories show how much harm can come about when a thoroughly good invention is misused or cheapened. It is possible, of course, to have sympathy with those who do not like fabric bodies for more substantial reasons, such as the difficulty of securing really graceful lines or the feeling of insecurity which the more timid, have when they realise that you can almost “poke your finger” through a fabric body. What they are afraid of is not that someone, will poke a finger through the fabric, but that in a collision a fabric body will not give them the same protection as a coachbuilt-body or an all-steel body. It is axiomatic that you cannot argue with fear, and it is therefore almost useless to point out that in a really bad collision no make of body work can contribute much to the safety of the occupants. What it is pertinent to point out, however, is that really bad accidents involving the piercing of the bodywork are so rare as to merit exclusion from consideration altogether.

“SAFETY” GLASS WARNING.

But the temporary falling off in the popularity of fabric bodies did not inspire the present article so much as the possibility that two other important discoveries connected with motor cars may became discredited through the same tendency to cheapen them to a point at which it become commercially unremunerative to give true value. I refer to the blessings of safety glass and chromium plating. That safety glass must in the near future become a standard fitment on even the lowest-priced cars is obvious. Already several manufacturers are constructing their front windscreens of unsplinterable glass, as it is sometimes called, and it is quite evident that this glass will soon be extended to every door and window of every closed car, for it is illogical to give protection against dying glass only in front when head-on collisions form only a small percentage of road accidents. Just as some motorists feel uneasy because they are surrounded only with fabric, so are others uneasy because, in their saloons, they are surrounded with plate-glass. The great popularity of the closed car has therefore made safety glass all round an inevitable reform. The danger to be apprehended is that the manufacturers of low-priced cars, faced with the desirability of keeping these vehicles low priced may be tempted to go in for safety glass of inferior quality. The objection to this inferior glass is not that it flies into splinters but that it distorts the view and thus substitutes one danger for another. Good safety glass is usually made with two sheets of plateglass between which is sandwiched a sheet of celluloid or substance with similar properties. Plate glass is, however, an expensive material, hence the difference in price between safety glass and ordinary glass. To cheapen the cost some manufacturers are making use of ordinary window glass instead of the higher-grade plate glass, with the consequence that distortion is met with and the driver of a car fitted with a windscreen of inferior glass is faced with a new set of road hazards. Buildings flatten out, oncoming cars assume grotesque shapes and various other phenomena associated with distorted vision set in. It is unnecessary to stress the dangers that must encompass a driver when road conditions are other than they seem to him. Purchase of cars even at the present moment will therefore do well to ensure that if a safety glass windscreen is thrown in as standard, it has no flaws of the kind described.

CUTTING IT TOO FINE!

As regards-chromium plating, it would be a great pity if faith in this excellent discovery were undermined by' unsatisfactory processes of application, actuated by the desire to include this form of bright finish as a standard fitting. Chromium plating is to be found on tin increasing number of ■ low-priced cars, and is being eagerly welcomed by ownerdrivers who know from personal experience how difficult it is to keep the bright parts of a car free from tarnish. Now good chromium plating simply defies the worst that rain or atmospheric conditions can do, A rub over with a wet

leather and subsequent polishing with a soft doth is all that is necessary to ensure perennial brightness. But good chromium plating, like good safety glass, is expensive, and the makers of lowpriced cars cannot afford to give much more than a thin coating of this material, and the danger here is that they may make the coating so thin as to give rise to the risk of wholesale peeling. The other day I was shown the radiator of a new car of which the chromium finish had commenced to peel despite the fact that it had not been touched with anything more deleterious than water. Upon examination the coat of plating proved to be even thinner than the tinfoil found in a sixpenny packet of cigarettes. It is possible that this radiator may have been unlucky when the chromium plating was being handed out, but it shows that things may be cut too fine. I think the average ear-owner would, like myself, prefer to pay a bit more for his chromium and be assured that it will not just “wash off.” MOTOR AND CYCLE

CARE FOR YOUR CLUTCH.

SAYS GENERAL MOTORS OFFICIAL.

Some parts of the motor car’s mechanism are so taken for granted that motorists fail to understand their importance or the engineering technique and investigation which have made them possible (believes Mr. E. G. Pope, General Motors chief inspector). Such is the clutch. It is not necessary that drivers of cars understand all the ins and outs of all parts of their cars, but it is desirable that motorists have an appreciation of what factors tend to make touring a pleasure. The clutch is one of these. It is valuable also to have some knowledge of how such a mechanism as the clutch functions. The clutch is the instrument which enables the engine of the car to run and the car itself to stand still. It would be very awkward to have to stop the engine every time it was desired to stop the car.

A MATTER OF GEARS.

The car driver finds it necessary at times to have the car develop a great amount of pulling power, while at other times, when the going is easy, speed is the most desirable factor, Mr. E. G. Pope goes on to explain. The clutch makes it possible for the driver to bring different gears into use, so that the power of the engine may be converted into car speed or strong pulling as needed. By bringing different gears into play the driver is enabled to multiply the pull of the engine when going up steep hills or when travelling through sand or mud, and to obtain very high speed when the road is level and hard and great pulling power is not required. The clutch serves to connect and disconnect the engine from the transmission, and therefore from the rear wheels. It is operated by means of a foot pedal, which projects through the toe boardThe clutch is released by pressing this pedal with the foot, and when the engine will continue to run but will not deliver power to the wheels. If the gears are in neutral position power will not be applied to the car even when the clutch is engaged. The clutch must be released whenever the gear shifting lever is moved, and should be released when the brake is applied. The most popular type of clutch is composed of flat plates or discs, according to Mr. Pope. The number of discs employed varies with the design ijnd size of the plates and the amount of power the engine is capable of developing. As the clutch is easily subject to great al use and excessive wear it must be constructed so as to stand up to a wide margin of overwork. With the clutch pedal in the released position the plates are all forced apart by small springs. This permits the engine to run without the rear wheels being driven. When it is desired to transmit the motion of the engine to the rear wheels the clutch is engaged. This is done by releasing 'the pressure of the foot from the clutch pedal, which permits a strong spring to force the plates into contact with each other. The friction generated by this presure causes the plates revolving with the flywheel of the engine to pick up the plates attached to the gear set shaft and all revolve together. Most disc clutches have half the plates •faced on both sides with a special friction material, the alternative plates being of smooth steel. They require no lubrication —in fact, the surface of the plates should be kept free from oil. However, the clutch throw-out bearing must be kept well lubricated. Keeping the foot on the clutch pedal while driving, known as “riding the clutch,” brings this bearing into action continuously, causing unnecessary wear.

WOMAN’S RECORD TOUR.

WHOLE GLOBE ENCIRCLED.

The first woman to travel round the world alone has just arrived back at her starting point in England after eight months of continuous driving in a tiny British 7 h.p. car. She is Miss Gladys de Havilland, and as far as Los Angeles she wass. accompanied by a girl friend. After that she continued by herself to attempt to be the first woman to accomplish a world tour without the aid of a man. She drove right across America from New York to San Francisco, crossed New Zealand, Australia, India and Europe, only taking boat when it was unavoidable.

“It has been a most wonderful trip,” said Miss de Havilland in an interview on her return, “and it has proved what can be accomplished by a member of the supposedly ‘weaker’ sex, alone in the smallest car in the world. To the Americans, my car seemed absurdly tiny, and they did not think it was possible for it to travel round the world. Yet it has come quite successfully through two hemispheres on its one set of Dunlop tyres without a murmur of complaint. “Tn India the heat was so intense that I was nearly overcome though I drove in the lightest of silk garments. While high up in the mountains of America I came through a driving blizzard, and thick snow and caught influenza into the bargain.

“Once while speeding in the Australian bush I saw a black snake, six feet long, crossing the road. I had no time to pull up, so I pressed the accelerator and went over it at -10 miles an hour.

“Now that I am home once more I would really like to do the trip all over again.”

GARAGE AND CAR.

THE HOME WORKER,

After completing any adjustment, wipe the tools carefully and put them back in their proper places. Tools kept in the motor house should be placed in racks or clips and not allowed to lie about untidily.

If the motor house is damp, wipe aL tools over with an oily rag occasionally to protect them from rust.

When about to carry out some engine adjustment, firtt cover the wings with an old rug or dust sheet in order to prevent them from being accidentally scratched.

Do not use a pair of pliers instead of a spanner, as they will probably slip and spoil the nut. When the time arrives to drain used oil from the engine, gear box, or back axle and put in a fresh supply, choose the moment when the car comes in from a run to drain out the old oil. It will then bo warm and will flow more readily.

Test the tyre pressures regularly with a reliable gauge, and occasionally examine the treads and pick out any flints. Always use distilled water for topping up the batteries, and never pour it through a metal funnel; a celluloid funnel or a small jug will be found convenient.

When adjusting brakes, an easy and certain method of ascertaining if the drums are free is to tap them gently with spanner. They will ring with a bell-like' ncte if the shoes are not touching them. Do not leave petrol lying about in an open receptacle after using it for cleaning purposes, and on no account smoke when handling the fuel.

A STRENUOUS TIME.

GERMAN LADY’S WORLD TOUR.

New York, June 12. ' Miss Clairnore Stinnes, daughter of the late Hugo Stinnes, German industrialist, has sailed fop home, after a motor tour of the world that occupied two years. zX tiny girl, weighing under eight stone, she drove practically the whole distance in a big sedan. Her companion, Mr. 0. A, Sodcrstrom, a Swedish motion picture photographer, followed with a motor-truck, carrying camping equipment. Hers was the first car to cross the Andes from Buenos Aires to Santiago. The hardships she and her companion ered, where there were no roads, were suffered on the 1'2,000 miles they covtoo much for two pairs of mechanics. The first pair left when they had to dynamite rock and overcome other hazards in the Ural Mountains; the second pair quitted the tour when, in Peru, thirty days wore spent traversing 125 miles where there was no semblance of a road.

In Peru the party were given a military escort. In Siberia and Central Asia they encountered many hostile receptions.

RANDOM NOTES.

NEWS FROM HERE AND THERE.

Sales of motor-cycles are very brisk in Great Britain with the .opening of the season.

The single-cylinder world's record for 50 miles has been raised to 108.6 miles per hour by a Raleigh.

The number of motor-cycles at present in use in Hungary is about SOOO. and of these about 5000 are in Budapest.

Neither use nor ornament, and yet no motor-car runs without it —noise!

The programme of some of the American motor factories only allows for 3 per cent, of open cars. # # #

In Berlin a noisy machine is confiscated by the police and fitted with a silencer at the owner’s expense.

In the London Land's End Reliability Test the motor-cycle retirements were 5.7 per cent, of the entry, while in the car class 17 per cent, failed to finish.

The Daimler Company has built an experimental front wheel drive car but research is still being carried out and no decision to put this type into production has been readied.

In certain States in the U.S.A, any motor cyclist who rides “hands off” in oppulous areas is subject to arrest, followed by three months’ imprisonment.

The Motor Cycle states “that there is a growing interest in grass track racing in the Liverpool district.” This was last season a stronghold of dirt-track contests, but it now appears as if the interest in the cinder sport is waning.

The overseas demand for American motor-cycles is showing some improvement. During the first month of the present year, 1713 machines were exported, compared with 1482 in January, 1928.

A witness in a recent English accident case is said to have stated that he thought the defendant was going at full speed at the time' of the collision, as a control knob was still pointing to “charge” when the machine was picked up! # e # «=

The Main Highways Board advises that from information so far available, it will cost £lOO,OOO to restore main roads damaged by the West Coast earthquake.

The National Automobile Chamber or Commerce has made a survey of the American industry, which shows that nearly £400,000,000 was invested in the motor-car and truck factories operating in the United States in 19'28.

The Auckland harbour bridge scheme has a parallel in England, where there is a strong agitation for bridging the River Humber. The cost of a structure has been estimated at £2,000,000 and recent ly the alternative of a tunnel has beei considered.

During 1928, 5,198,167 motor vehicles were produced in the world. America supplied 83.5 per cent.; Canada, 4.7 per cent.; France, 4.2 per cent.; England, 4 per cent.; Germany, 1.7 per cent.; Italy, 1.2 per cent.; and other countries, 0.7 per cent. The smallest quota came from Denmark, which is credited with an output of 200 cars in the year. # * # «

•On June 4 the Main Highways Board held an examination for road foremen and overseers. Of the 48 candidates for the paper on general road construction and maintenance 16 passed. For a paper on bitumen and concrete road construe f on 12 of the 48 candidates were successful. This examination system is doing much to raise the standard of reading. It enables candidates to become familiar with the Highways Board’s ideal, and in the future some uniformity should be reflected.

The number of motor-cars and cycles operated in Berlin rose by about 20,000 last year, the total on January 1, 1929, being 84,134, against 63,510 on the same date in 1928. including taxis and buses, there were 39,291 passenge- cars, compared with 14,476 trucks, and 30,267 motorcycles. The number of Berlin residents

in possession oi driving licenses on January 1 numbered approximately 135,000, of whom 25,000 had obtained their certificates in 1928. • a * *

In reporting the falling-off of 73,000 in the number of horses in the State of Prussia during 1928, bringing the total down to 2,550,000, the Vossische Zeitung remarked: “As was to be expected, the increasing motorisation of traffic and agriculture lias led to a material urop in the number of horses being kept. . # « *■ *

What is thought to be the first motorcar road race in America took place m

1895. The race was from Chicago to Evanston and return, about 52 miles. The original entrants numbered 60, but only six of these started, snowstorms eliminating the others. The winning vehicle is now in the Smithsonian Institute.

To overcome the difficulty which is often experienced in placing motor-cycles on their stands a telescopic stand has been invented by Mr. George Thompson, of Yorkshire, England. Owing to the fact that there is only a very slight lifting action as the stand passes over the vertical position, the effort reauired to

place even the heaviest machine on its stand is said to be practically nil; it ja even possible for the rider while still astride to place, the machine on the stand by grasping the handle-bars and rolling the machine rearwards. When it is required to lift the tail of the machine to the -more usual height of several inches from the ground, in order to remove, for example, the rear wheel, the inner sliding members of each stand can be quickly extended by slackening two grub screws, and the, stand so lengthened. The stand can readily be fitted. to existing machines, no alteration being necessary.