SPEED TESTS POSTPONED

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1932, Page 9

SPEED TESTS POSTPONED

“WIZARD” SMITH’S DECISION ATTEMPT AT NEXT SPRING TIDES. BEACH CONSIDERED UNSUITABLE. SMALL HOPE OF IMPROVEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Asioclation. Ninety Mile Beach, Last Night. After waiting patiently for a little over a week “Wizard” Smith decided late this afternoon to postpone his attempt on the world’s land speed records. The decision was reached after a conference with the Auckland Automobile Racing Club. In all probability attempts on the ten and five-mile records will be made between January 22 and 26, when there will be full moon tides. Mr. Smith is pinning his faith on a king tide on February 4 for tackling the flying mile. ■Ever since the party established its headquarters at Waipapakauri conditions have been unstable, lhe beach, has never cleared up properly. Near low water level it has been good, but that has not suited Mr. Smith, who requires dry sand for racing. Higher up, where it dries quicker when the tide recedes, the sand has been corrugated and in places there are deep wash-outs The spring tides have now gone and there is little hope of improvement until full moon. With nothing definite the host of officials could not stay on, and all except the man in charge of the timing apparatus are leaving for home to-morrow. However, they will be available within three hours if Mr. Smith makes a hurried decision, which is unlikely as the racer is contemplating a fishing trip to the Bay of Islands. The two mechanics will spend a lone]v time in charge of the “Enterprise” at the Hukatere garage. The post office erected by the P- and T. Department near the garage will be closed to-mor-row night? when it will be vacated. A man or two will remain to act as caietakere. ...... . n The London Daily Mail tried to talk bv radio telephone to Smith last night, but owing to static interference the talk was postponed till Wednesday. 1 COLLEAGUE’S RETURN TO SYDNEY. MR. DON HARKNESS MYSTERIOUS. By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 0.25 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 12. Mr. Don Harkness, a colleague of “Wizard” Smith, arrived in Sydney today. He declined to clear up the mystery of why he returned from New Zealand. He said he came back to do certain work and would return to the Dominion shortly. He would make a statement to the Press in due course. ALTERED APPEARANCE OF CAR. EFFICIENCY OF COOLING SYSTEM. Great interest has been manifested at the Ninety Mile Beach in the altered appearance of the F. H. Stewart “Enterprise” speed car since it has been in the hands of Mr. Norman Smith’s mechanics at the beach garage at Hukatere. The car now has a new radiator of the honeycomb core type, which is fitted to the front of the chassis as in an ordinary motor-truck. In certain respects it radically alters the original design of the car, its object being to increase the efficiency of the cooling system of the engine. The new radiator was designed by Mr. Smith along the lines of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird, and was built by Mr. W. Monteith, of Auckland. The radiators designed by Mr. Harkness did not meet with Mr. Smith’s aproval and were never fitted to the car, although the water tanks which were part of Mr.. Harkness’ system were in place when the car left Sydney. They were removed during the week-end, it being maintained that they were unnecessary now that Mr. Monteith’s radiator had been adopted. Mr. Smith stated that the car had undergone thorough tests and everything was satisfactory. He made special mention of the success of the new radiator. It is known that lengthy discussions took place between Mr. Smith and Mr. Harkness regarding the engine’s cooling system. Soon after the arrival of the car from Sydney an order was placed with an Auckland engineering firm for the construction of a radiator containing three sets of honeycombed cores, one behind the other and* since the car has been on Ninety Mile Beach the engineers have been busily engaged in equipping the Enterprise with this addition. The addition of the new radiator would appear to indicate that Mr. Smith and his advisers stake more on a modification of the cooling system than on the maintenance of the original streamline design, on which so much importance was placed by Mr. Harkness. Early on Monday morning word was passed round the camps that the atempt on the records might be postponed until January 24. However, it was decided to give the beach another chance. The wind had changed to the west, the tide was very high and it- looked as if the track might be in fair order. The mechanics and flag men were assembled, and at 5 o’clock in the afternoon the flags were all in, and the tide right out. “Wizard” Smith took a run along the course and on his return said the beach was in good condition. The ’Enterprise was towed over the runway of planks down to the firm sand. Once on the track proper the towing truck was attached by a special releasing shackle and the big raoer was towed about a mile along the beach. The engine was started, but the progress of the car was spasmodic as the engine was running jerkily. Suddenly the big unit broke into a‘regular rhythm and ran sweetly on all cylinders. The big touring car which had been following was left behind in a flash, and the Enterprise sped over the track. In less than two minutes it was over four miles away, and an official timing of this first run gave the speed of 125 miles per hour. This is entirely satisfactory as the car was running on ordinary road tyres, the special racing tyres which with their wheels weigh 1751 b each not being yet fitted. These wheels and tyres will not be used until the actual attack on the record is made. “Wizard” Smith said that everything was perfect and that the tail fin held the car as steady as a rock. It was especially noticeable that the cooling system had worked excellently and that the engine was surprisingly cool after the trial, a tribute to the good workmanship in the radiator. New Zealand’s contribution to the outfit. The opinion was expressed that the Enterprise would easily beat the 10 mile record at a speed which is expected to reach 250 miles per hour. It is also considered that with the splendid runoff at each end of the measured course a new mile record of nearly 300 miles per hour will be sec up. “Wizard” Smith is fit and well, the slight cold and cough having quite left him.