MOTOR & CYCLING

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1929, Page 20 (Supplement)

MOTOR & CYCLING

OLYMPIA REVIEWED.

SALIENT FEATURES.

COACIHWORK NOVELTIES.

(By Our Motoring Correspondent). London, Oct. 17. One of the drawbacks of the Olympia show is that it produces an unsettling effect upon some people, myself included. I passed through-, the turnstiles on the opening day with a fixed determination not to permit the display of 1930 models to seduce me from allegiance to my 1929 car, but I left the show with my morale badly shaken, and I am not at all certain that before the spring I shall not have part-exehanged my present car for one ot the new models.

My 1929 car is a sturdily built, smoothly running four-cylinder saloon, which at the last, show seemed to me wonderful value for money. Indeed, I bought it .almost with embarrassment for I thad a feeling that the makers coiild not really afford to sell it at the price and and keep out of the bankruptcy court!

But I need not have been so susceptible, for I found at this year’s show that the makers of my 1929 car were not only still selling at the mo price in its 1930 edition but were actually giving better value for the money in the way of various improvements and refinements. As motor manufacturers do not go on making cars years after year at a loss. I no longer feel sorry for them. t I only feel sorry for myself, for the glamour has gone from my present car. Compared with the. 1930 model it is a back number, and as no progressive motorist likes back numbers I see no way out of it but to “drop” £BO or so on my present car and buy one of the 1930 models.

BETTER VALUE.

Dismissing, however, unpleasant thoughts about depreciation, I think that the main feature’ of this year’s show is the better value offered for the same money anti the even much better value offered for a little more money. This feature is particularly marked in the six-cylinder classes. For instance, in the case of one make of car only £l5 more is asked for a fully equipped six-cylinder model than is demanded for the fourcylinder model, while the four-cylinder model itself is remarkable enough value for money. I stood looking in amazement for some time at one of the new six-cylinder coachbuilt saloons priced at just under £3OO. With its handsome lines, . its roomy and beautifully appointed Inter- . ior and other amenities, it certainly sugigcstcd a price in the neighbourhood of £5OO, and when I examined the chassis this impression was confirmed by the dis-, covery of such mechanical aids to smooth running, and longevity as a selfcleaning oil filter, an air cleaner, automatic radiator . shutters, hydraulic brakes, finger-tip controls, dipping headlights and many other expensive and desirable fittings. Triplex glass and chromium plating were included as a matter of course. Yet this admirable car, which is by no means unique in the value offered, could be purchased for less than I myself paid for a somewhat bare-looking tourer of stodgy performance only a few years ago. h

NEW' DESIGNS.

I found most of the interest at this year’s show at the stands exhibiting medium-priced and low-priced cars. They are full of good ideas and remarkably cheap to buy. As a matter of duty I went round the stands of the luxury cars but was disappointed with much of the bodywork and general appearance. The lower chassis have induced some of . the coachbuilders to experiment with new designs and my own feeling was that they have not been too successful. I saw some coachwork on Bentley, Daim- . ler and Rolls Royce chassis that left me cold both because the lines were ungainly and because ' the colour schemes were too gaudy. I preferred these cars when they .resembled, the stately homes of old England. . .... On the Other hand, much better rei c. suits • -were •■ visible where ' tlie coachbuilders had worked, upon lower-chassis, notably on those of the diminutive car. class. I saw some Austin Sevens that had been made miraculously roomy ’through the ingenuity of the coachbuilders. One coach builder had a highly interesting exhibit. Ho had given a Wolseley car an interior which could bo converted in a moment into a very comfortable double-bed, ... More than that, .he had designed a canvas, tent which fitted one side of the saloon and which could be stepped into frbm the car without going into the open. It struck me as a remarkably clever extension of the car camping idea,

GLASS ROOFS.

Sunshine saloon ears in which the roof cither slides or folds back are very popular at Olympia this year and they are exhibited in, many attractive forms. Ono ingenious designer has made the sliding portion of his roof of glass, while another has introduced celluloid panels overhead. But the idea is more novel than practicable. There is enough, glass already about the modern saloon and 10 one wants to look at the sky on a rainy day while with a hot sun a glass roof must be somewhat uncomfortable. Fab- • ric still seems popular, especially for bodywork of the sportsman’s coupe and sportsman’s saloon ' types as well as speed models.. I noticed an interesting new idea in ventilation on a Holls Royce enclosed limousine costing £3,0'94. High up on the centre pillar on each side of the body is a specially shaped ventilator operated from the interior which admits air through tho pillar. To draw away the / used air tho rear edge of one of the windows opens outwards slightly after the style of a casement window and in this manner tho used air goes out and rain or draughts cannot come in. Turning-to the purely technical side of the show, I might mention ono fascinating exhibit, tho half-section of a Citroen six-cylinder saloon. The vehicle is cut completely in half and it is possible to see not only the inside of the engine, transmission and all working parts, but also the construction of the body. Other interesting exhibits were the Bugatti 5-litre 8-cylinder chassis,, the gearbox of..which is part of the back pxie '

assembly, find the new Trojan chassis, the engine of ■which is in the luggage container, the luggage itself being undir the bonnet. •>

I have been told that the highest’ priced chassis on view was the Duesenberg, which cost 8500 dollars or £2380. For such a price one naturally expects a wonder chassis, but I cannot say I was unduly impressed. It is said to have been built “regardless of cost,” which reminds mo somewhat of the American “super-film’ advertisements. The attainment of a speed of'll6 miles per hour with which tho Duescnberg is credited without the use of a supercharger is something to boast of, yet £2380 for a chassis is a lot of money, and I think on the whole that if my means permitted the expenditure of that sum on motoring I would prefer to buy a whole car, even though it only proved capable of 90 miles per hour. The chassis of the MercedesBenz, which won the Ulster Tourist Trophy Race and is also on view at the show, costs only £2150. In concluding this review of the show mention ought to be made, of one interesting “gadget” to be found on the new Chryslers. It is a device which automatically decarbonises tho engine without the need to take it down. If this device does all that is claimed for it there can be no doubt that it will be a great boon.

FINE NEW HIGHWAYS.

With the recent completion of an improved highway, from Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian capital, to Sao Paulo, capital of the Brazilian State of that name, it is now possible to drive by motor car from Rio to Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, a distance of approximately 1200 miles. The only section of this road that is not built is an 80-mile stretch off tho coast of tho''State of Rio Grande >lo Sul, where tho motorist must use the beach at low tide.

EIGHT CYLINDER MODELS.

Several new eight cylinder engines will bo presented at the Paris Salon and there will be a still further move toward the six. One of the technical features will bo an increased use of steel treated by the nitriding process. Under this treatment, steels are made non-corrosive and attain a degree of hardness quite impossible with any other process. Among the new models under preparation are some sixes and eights with itluminium cylinders having nitriding liners. This

method enables aluminium pistons to na fitted with much closer clearances and, as tests have conclusively proved, oil consumption is reduced in important proportions.

KAYE DON’S MILE.

; Kaye Don, who plans to challenge the w'oi'ld’s motor speed record at Daytona beach next year, recently broke the world record for one mile from a standing start at “Brooklands, England. Ho drove a Sunbeam and averaged 100.77 miles per hour. The previous record was 98.67 miles, made by Parry Thomas nt Babs, in which he was killed. A FJOO horse-power car is being built at a cost of £25,000, fox’ Kayo Don to regain the British title in case Sir Henry Seagrave's record is beaten next February.

' STRONG FAMILY RESEMBLANCE

MODERN CAR AND ANCESTORS. The dictionary’s definition of an automobile is “a self-propelled vehicle,” and although Elwood Haynes invented the first motor-car, some very interesting experiments in the development of horseless carriages had taken place in Europe long before Mr. Haynes built his product in 1894 and was subsequently arrested for disturbing the peace. As early as 1680, European scientists were experimenting with se'lf-propelled vehicles. Sir Isaac Newton developed the theory of the steam car, which consisted of a wagon chassis on which was mounted a large kettle. The spout of this kettle pointed toward the rear. The theory was that if a fire w r ere lighted under the kettle, the -steam generated from the water in the kettle would propel the vehicle forward. There is no official record that . the car ever progressed beyond the working-model stage, at least, but efforts were being made to develop such a vehicle. In 1770 Nicholas Joseph Cugnot, a French artillery engineer, invented a steam-car that also was of the front-wheel-drive type. Cugnot was greatly interested in finding some means of moving cannon other than by horsepower, so ho evolved his wagon or tractor. It had three wheels and a steam kettle mounted ahead of the front wheel. Pistons furnished the power to this drive wheel. Unfortunately the vehicle had no brakes, and on its first trial before a group of French officials, the car ran wild and ended its career by plunging through the solid masonry of the wall surrounding the Paris arsenal.

In 1784 England advanced a steam carriage designed by William Murdoch, and two years later William Symington, a Scotsman, brought out a steam-driven model, which attempted tb combine comfort with utility. This car was described as a ‘‘rear driven locomotive carriage,” and the description is accurate. The front part was enclosed and had two doors, while the driver sat outside. The present town car seems to be a direct descendant of this model. In 1801, Richard Trevithick designed tlie ‘‘simplified” steam carriage. This vehicle was driven by gears about thirty inches in diameter. The first body spring suspension appeared in 1803. It was a self-propelled road carriage with strips of steel supporting the body. This car carried a fireman on a small platform to stoke the boiler.

The most ornate model was designed in 1829. This car was the work of W. H. Jones. It had a Closed compartment as well as tiers of seats for passengers who preferred to sit in the open air. Its maximum speed was fifteen miles an hour. In 1832 a selective “transmission” was brought out, making use of a clutching device, somewhat similar to that in use to-day. Fuel consumption in those days averaged about one-half bushel of coke per mile and - approximately one hundred pounds of water. Stops were made about every eight miles.because it was impossible to carry sufficient fuel and water for longer distances. From thirty minutes to an hour was required to get up operating 1 steam. America’s first

steam road ear appeared in 1825. In trials and tests it proved very satisfactory, with particular ability in hillclimbing. At first glance it may seem that the lumbering vehicles of the nineteenth century had little in common with the sleek motor-cars of to-day. But there is evidence that such essentials of modern motor-cars as gear shifts, brakes, clutches, springs, differentials, steering mechanisms and transmissions had their counterparts —however crude —in the vehicles of the. v early days of Victoria’s reign.

THE VULNERABLE MUDGUARD

The exposed position and vulnerability of the mudguards of motor vehicles are only too obvious in the large number one sees in\ a more or less damaged condition, and the suggestion has again been put forward seriously that they should be made of some less easily damaged material than the sheet steel now utilised. Some two or three years ago .so-called “rubber” mudguards were mooted; in fact, some sample sets were made by an English motor agent who had patented the idea, while from Germany at about the same time reports were received that the production of flexible wings was about to be put on a commercial basis after a series of experimental- tests. But nothing has been heard of late of this subject from either quarter, and it is to be surmised either that the constructional system in each cane proved to be unsatisfactory in the end, or that the cost was prohibitive. Nevertheless, many motorists cannot brit regret that mudguards of a composition capable of withstanding accidental impact without being harmed are not available.

CONSERVING THE TYRES.

Since one of the most expensive items in the running of a motor vehicle is the upkeep and replacement of tyres it is obvious that the keen and careful motorist will endeavour to conserve their wear and do all that is possible in the way of getting the longest mileage from each cover. Careful driving is the great secret of tyre service, other things being correct, such as pressures of inflation and the filling of cuts and holes. As regards the first, it is obvious that sudden braking and sudden accelerations must.put a greater strain upon the tyre cover than can be put by any amount of straightforward driving. In changing gear on hills, if the wait between disengagement and engagement of the clutch is too long, it may take a great deal out of the tyres, 'which have to take up the load unfairly. The change should be as quick as possible, yet the clutch must not be “dropped” in. It must be engaged smoothly. It can be let out as quickly as possible. A good deal depends on the accuracy of accelerating. When we get the “touch” of any gear we can accelerate as the clutch comes out and to exactly the right amount for the increased engine ratio of the lower gear, then shift the gear lever over and engage gently. It can be done very quickly, and if properly accomplished the drive will be taken up without any extra strain upon the tyres. If the car jerks forward we kffow that the tyre tretid is being subjected to tremendous strain, and it i.s this strain, often applied, which weakens tyre walls and wears tyre treads. Bad roads should be negotiated at moderate speeds. Avoid sudden braking, particularly on loose roads, and also sudden accelerations. It'-is the sudden changes of driving pressures in the tyres which cause more wear than is caused by the rolling of the tyre upon the road. Make sure that the tyres are fully inflated. Under-inflation is a direct cause of excessive tyre wear and rapid deterioration.

BROKEN SPOKES DANGEROUS.

Since w’ire wheels have become more popular than ever on modern cars, it is necessary to remind the owner-driver that some attention is necessary in cases where for any reason a spoke breaks. As a rule a wheel with a broken spoke may last without further damage for months; but, on the other hand, there is a chance that the structure of the whole wheel may be weakened and adjacent spokes will fail under the additional stresses. Should a defect of this nature be noticed, it is advisable to have repairs effected without delay. Impacts with kerbs will sometimes interfere with the accurate running of wire wheels, and. therefore it inadvisable to. jack up the axles from time to time to ascertain whether the rims run quite true; and at the same time the spokes can be examined, for fracture or imperfect, tension.

GROWING USE OF RUBBER.

The ever-growing use of rubber in motor-car chassis is being brought home to motorists more convincingly every . year. At one time the tyre was practically the only component made of rubber, but nowadays this material is employed in a shock absorbing capacity for engine and gearbox mountings, pneumatic upholstery, flexible couplings, and so forth. In a special compressed form it is employed in the bushings used for spring eyes and similar purposes in a large number of 1930 models. These bushings are unique in that there is no relative movement between rubber and metal, the necessary play being permitted by the flexibility of the rubber itself.

BRAKE EFFICIENCY.

How brake efficiency may be impaired by faulty design and adjustment is frequently demonstrated, and in the case of front wheel brakes it is safe to say that, through neglect, on the part of the owner, some are not much better than ornaments. To-day, with brakes oil. four wheels, a retardation is expected of approximately 20 feet per second. This means that the brake shoe linings may have to. be loaded to four and a half times the weight of the vehicle. The usual practice is to allow one square inch. A mean pressure Up to 1.591 b per eq. in. however, is sufficient if the lining material is of good quality. Long narrow linings are not good; they are °far more effective chort and wide; the maximum length should be an arch extending through an angle of 120 degrees. Long linings increase the tendency to grab. Some authorities claim that brake compensation is going out of favour, and state that it is possible to balance the pull in the operating rods, but it is impossible to control the coefficient of friction between the shoe lining and the brake drum, or between the tyre and the road. Brakes which were efficient when first put into service, often lose efficiency rapidly through bearings becoming partially seized, due- to lack *of ' lubrication and exposure to water thrown up from the road.