ALL-STEEL CARS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 August 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

ALL-STEEL CARS.

RETURN TO POPULARITY. EFFECT ON DESIGN.. (London Motor Correspondent.) Although the makers bf fabric bodies assert with -some vehemence that this type of bodywork is not waning in popularity,' it is -obvious -that as regardfi ’the 1930 models on the road far fewer cars with fabric bodies are to be seem The preference this ’ year < seems to ■be for- coach-built and all-stCel saloons; and the probability -is that, before long fabric . bodies will only be fitted to special ordm and the great, majority of the medium-priced and lowpriced cars will have all-steel bodies. We like to think that motor " manufacturers follow our declared preferences in tlie matter of the appearance of a. car; but it is nearer the truth to say that we accept what they give us. Only a small minority of motorists have definite ideas about coach work and the money to ensure that, these ideas are carried out in the case of the cars they purchase. The majority of us take what is given. If the manufacturers tell us tha’t fabric bodies- are the thing, we buy fabric bodies; if they tell us that all-steel bodies are more desirable, we turn our backs on fabric and revert to steel, kor the past twelve'months or eo the manufacturers of low-priced and medium-priced cars have been discouraging the idea of the fabric body, and the reason is- largely' economic. Allsteel bodies are cheaper to produce than other types, and in these days of fierce competition in the motor trade any method of reducing the cost of manufacture must be welcomed. The impetus towards all-steel bodywork is likely to become more pronounced in the near for American methods of producing steel pressings are to be developed shortly in Great Britain. There is in existence at the moment an organisation known as . the Pressed Steel Body Company, which, working under American patents, has hitherto confined its activities largely to turning out bodies for Morris cars. .'Arrangements are now being made to enable other British manufacturers to avail themselves of the facilities for turning out steel pressings quickly and cheaply, thus lowering ultimately the costs of car production. Whether this saving will be passed on to the car purchaser remains to be seen. One result of the wider use of steel pressings, will be greater standardisation, and we shall probably find that, as in the ease of American vehicles, British cars wifi look much more alike, DAZZLE DANGERS. ■ I have been- studying- the anti-dazzle memorandum issued by the Royal Automobile Club with some interest, because the R.A.C has been in close touch with the authorities as to the important problem of dazzle prevention, and the memorandum definitely foreshadows legislation. What prohibitions concerning the use of headlights are in store for motorists we do not yet know, but we do know that there is a certain futility about motoring legislation and that it often imposes restrictions which are later found to be impracticable and aggravate rather than ameliorate the ills which inspired them.

What are the prospects of beneficial regulations in the matter of dazzling when we are told in the R.A.C,’memorandum that a compromise between the provision, of a proper driving light and the elimination of dazzle ha's still to be found? . The R.A.C. knows what it is talking about because it has been testing anti-dazzle devices of various kinds for over twenty years and has not yet found one which eliminates dazzle and yet retains a good driving light. It is unlikely that tne authorities will lay down in their antidazzle regulations that we must use some ' approved device, but they may subject us to some restrictions as to the strength of our headlights, or impose upon us some hard and fast rules that, like the present speed limit, must break down under the test of actual road conditions.

If we must have’ regulations to deal with the dazzle problem, despite the fact that there is no solution in sight, official action ought to be reduced to a minimum. It need, in fact, go no further than to render compulsory what the majority of motorists already do of their own accord, namely, dip or switch their headlights. In this connection it may be recalled that the Royal Commission on Transport came to the finding that the dipping of headlamps is the best method of meeting the difficulty. The term “dipping” naturally includes switching to the side. As

a matter of fact motor manufacturers will probably anticipate such a regulation in the 1931 models. Already a large number of cars have a dipping device its a standard fitment, and as such an accessory forms a good selling point we may assume that those who did not Sit them for the 1930 models will maxe them available for the new models. BURST TYRE DANGERS; Public attention has been iecent;iy directed by a road accident in which .Mr. H. I. Roome, K.C'., -was killed. to the. dangers,'of a sudden, tyre burst, ft is. ; however, possible to be • somewhat-. re- ; assuring on this matter, as. the chancesof a tyre burst under normal conditions 'are remote. ■ The. motorist .who...takes reasonable care of his tyres need .not permit himself to be, haunted by the fear of a sudden tyre burst. Personal-,', ly I should bring within the phrase “ordinary care” the discarding of lyres that are too worn.

The modern tyro is A-• product .of great strength, but' its effective life matt be considerably curtailed. by 'lack of-at-tention. 'by bad driving, or, through a number of other causes. Leaving aside, for the present ,the hazards that tend’ to deteriorate the tyres, all that can be said is that they ought to bo replaced before the treads have -begun to disappear; It is difficult to name even approximately the period at which a worn tyre enters the danger stage, out, most tyres are good for at least 10,009 miles with ordinary treatment. In any event tyres are fairly cheap nowadays, .and it pays to replace them when they begin to show signs of wear, even if it is only to escape .the delays and inconveniences of frequent punctures. , Front tyres wear less rapidly than rear tyres, and on this account it is a fairly general practice to remove the more badly worn rear tyres to the front and the front tyres to the rear. This practice certainly enables longer service to be obtained, but it should on no account be engaged in if the tyres that are moved to the front are too badly worn, for the chances of a burst are thereby greatly increased. It need hardly be emphasised that a burst front tyre is a much more serious affair than a burst rear tyre. Under the new Road Traffic Bill the Transport Minister will have power to investigate the causes of accidents to private cars. When there is a fatality, as in the case of Mr. H. I. Roome, an inquest is held, but the technical aspects of the case are rarely investigated with any thoroughness. It would be of the greatest value if motorists could learn from ait official report what were the causes that led to the bursting of the' tyre—whether it was too worn, in a state of neglect, or whether the burst occurred through a driving error, such as the application ui the brakes by the driver as soon as he ■felt the steering- wheel wrenching round when the burst occurred. In a burst, as in a skid, it is dangerous to apply tne brakes, for it locks the wheels and intensifies the skid. • BETTER GARAGE METHODS. As I have at time found it necessary to criticise the lines on which some garages are run, it. is only fair . to call attention to developments prompted by a spirit of progress. Providing facilities for free air is as little remunerative directly to the garage proprietor as the 'sale of postage stamps is to a rrrocer, yet the amount of" profitable business that the offer of such facilities brings indirectly in the course of a year must be considerable. The majority of motorists, it is safe to hazard, prefer to buy their petrol, when tuey want to fill up, at a garage where they will be asked'at the same time if their tyres require inflating. Many garage owners are discovering that motorists appreciate this boon of free air and will often go out of their way to buy their petrol and other motoring necessaries tn order to be saved the trouble ot pumpni" up their own tyres, and it is gratifying to find that more and more.roadside °garagcs are putting up “free air” notices.

Another enterprising development in many garages is. the abolition of the repair pit and the substitution or a lift. This development is to the interest of both the car mechanic and the owner whose car is being repaired. Erea in the best of pits the mechanic has to work under most unfavourable conditions, for not only is lie cramped and uncomfortable, but he carries out the repairs in a bad light. Such conditions are scarcely conducive to good work. The modern garage has no pit. By means of electrical or hydraulic lifts the car to be examined or repaired is raised well above the ground and the undercarriage is exposed to the full view of the mechanic, who is thus afforded a better opportunity of doing his work well.

In other ways also enterprising garage owners are bettering; their service facilities. I know of one service station where while one assistant is filling the tank another unobtrusively unscrews the radiator cap to see if the water level is as it should be. Naturally not every garage has the necessary staff available, but the point is worth mentioning as an indication of progress. AUSTRALIAN ROAD FUND. THE MOTORISTS’ CONTRIBUTION. In view of the public attention which has been directed to the £2,000,000 allocation for roads by the Commonwealth Ministry in its recent budget, it is perhaps as well that some facts relative to this allocation should be stated. In 1926 the Bruce Government passed the Federal Aid Roads Act, under which £2,000,000 was for a term of ten years to be paid annually to the States, and used by them for road development. The same Act called upon the respective State Governments, which collect annually from motorists registration fees aggregating over £4,000,000, to contribute 15s towards road expenditure for every £1 provided by the Commonwealth. To obtain funds out of which the £2,000,000 grant could be paid, the Federal Government increased the petrol tax of Id per gallon then collected, by a further 2d, or in other words, Australian motorists and users of motor trucks were definitely to contribute an amount sufficient to enable the Act to function. In return, motorists would have better roads on which to travel. At the same time an extra 2£ per cent, customs

duty was imposed on - foreign motor chasses imported into the Common-, wealth; the revenue to be earmarked for the same purpose. This Federal Roads Grant of f2,G’OO,(Jb() has been paid annually since 1926, so that during four years motorists through the Federal Government alone have contributed £B, (>09,099 for road development which has definitely benefited all road users and rendered road transport more efficient. The budget of the Scullin Ministry makes provision for honouring the statutory obligations under the 1926 Act,and the fact of having done so has Huven rise to the suggestion that that £2,000,000 obtained from Australia?! motorists for a specific purpose should now be diverted to consolidated revenue. As good roads are essential to the welfare and development of Australia and of vital assistance in keeping costs of production down the wisdom of endeavouring .to abrogate the Federal Aid Roads Act is questioned.

A BIG AMERICAN RACE. STOCK PAi’.S I’ERFOItM WEGL. Details of this year’s Indianapolis ‘•aOO,” which is America’s premier motor contest —won by B. Arnold at an average speed of 109.44 m.p.h. divulge to the student of motor racing certain interesting observations. The first of these is that under the new 1930 rules the non-supercharged, twoonau race car can traverse the 500-mile distance on the Indianapolis track at a higher average speed than either the 91 or !--■ cubic inch one-man superenarged type, which has been largely used in recent years in these races. Ihics uespite the fact that the track record of 104 m.p.h. was established with a 122 cubic inch supercharged one-man car driven by I*. De Paolo in 1925. Arnold was obliged to slow' down for about five minutes owing to an accident on the track, iir which six cars were “piled up: otherwise, it is estimated, his speed would have averaged over 102 m.p.h. Soon after the new rules were announced last year it was predicted that the cars starting in the 1930 race would be of widely varying design. To some extent the prediction was fulfilled, because amongst the starters were two 16-cylinder cars, twenty-four 8-cylinder cars’, two cars with G-cyiinder engines and ten with 4-cylinder engines. This was certainly a change from past years, when virtually every entry carried an S-cylinder engine. Last year, for example, the first ten cars finishing were all eights. The entry of the 4-cylinder cars was particularly interesting as it indicated a race revival of this type of engine, which has not been seen at Indianapolis as a real contender, since the days of the famous Peugeots and Chevrolet-Frontenacs. They performed in a most creditable manner and of the ten starting, one finished second, one seventh, and another ninth. Engines of’a greater piston displacement (up to 366 cubic inches) than for 15 years past were eligible for this year’s race, but other limitations introduced into the conditions rendered many prominent British and Continental makes ineligible, which might otherwise have competed. For example, cars with poppet valves could not have more than two valves per cylinder. Notwithstanding the prohibition ol superchargers,, and the .attempt of . the

promoters to limit the race to a more standard type, of car than the .special racing machines which have been catered for under the old rules, the winner’s average speed was very close. to the record for the race. Regarding the winner's car, the engine was a stock 122 cubic' inch non-supercharged two valve per cylinder engine.- - The chassis in which the engine whs installed was a standard front drive lilbdcl. Incidentally Arnold's victory was the first 'lndianapolis win for a frbnt-drive car. He took the lead after the third lap and thenceforth held it until the end of the race' —something that has never . been done before —and he made only one pit stop. The majority of opinion after the race was that the new rules had proved their advantages. Most important, they had broken down the standardisation of racing mounts and brought some stock-car engines back into public prominence, and this may lead in the end to interesting more manufacturers in U.S.A, in racing. ECONOMY FOR MOTORISTS. CARE IN RUNNING THE CAR. . Now that the heavy burden of taxation borne by motorists has been further increased by the additional tax on petrol, motorists themselves will be keen ' to economise. - , (Unquestionably,

motorists, by exercising a certain amount of restraint in speed driving, and paving more attention to the propel adjustment and functioning of their cars, can more than offset the extra coist of petrol by obtaining more miles per gallon than "in lt is probably safe to say that the great major-, ity of cars in use are wasting petrol and that motorists have not given serious thought to the most economical wav of driving their cars. One of the first things that a car owner should clearly understand is that maintaining high speeds is one of the surest ways of reducing petrol mileage. hud co £ sumption, increases at a surprising late, and' the life of tyres is shortened considerably. Few motorists now-a-days have sufficient patience to limit their speed of travel to 25 m.p.h. out on the open road, yet if the experiment were tried for. a month, the difference in running costs between under those conditions and, say, at 35 or 40 m.p.h. whenever the opportunity presented itself would be appreciable. The Dunlop Pcrdriau Company states that an increase of 10 miles an hour in speed doubles the rate of tyre wear between 30 and 50 m.p.h. Other important factors that have a considerable bearing on fuel consumption are correctly inflated tyres, for if tyres are insufficiently inflated it takes more power to propel the car, consequently more petrol ia wed* Again binding brakes consume power-'.whilst a poorly tuned . engine <ftMinotvgive off

its maximum efficiency if . /.tappets, valves, springs, etc. are not functioning at their best. Many motorists to-day-are not obtaining the.maximum mileage per gallon that the car is .capable of for the simple reason that the carburettor is not adjusted foi* economical running. Slight alterations in choke, jets, etc., can effect surprising reductions in petrol consumption, without any sacrificing of engine efficiency. Wheel alignment is one of the most deadly expensive defects that motorcars are heir to, and if tyre wear is irregular or unduly pronounced, steps should be taken at once to see if the trouble is not attributable to this cause. There are many other minor • factors that effect power output, but sufficient have been cited to bring under the notice of * motorists certain methods of increasing their mileage per gallon and thus, avoid the extra cost of petrol by , increasing the efficiency of their car.