MOTORING

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

MOTORING

AMONG THE 1933 MODELS

CONSPICUOUS NEW FEATURES.

MORE SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE.

('London Motoring Correspondent.)

Writing recently on the prospects<bf the Olympia Motor Show ! gave as a reason for the . diminution in -th© numr ■hers ’of firms exhibiting accessories ' that modern cars.are being dowered with so many accessories Which, at' one. time were expensive extras that , there is nothing much else the purchaser of a new car requires in . the way of ne,w fittings. 1 Since I made these observations many-additional new. 1033 models, have made 1 their appearance, and these bring us even nearer to the ideal of the. completely, equipped car. Most’ of the. new cars,. comingfrom one manufacturer, have been equipped with flashing direction indicators, which are? almost sensational in their novelty , at any rate as far ■as accessories are concerned. Many makers of care have, of course, made a- practice of .fitting ordinary illuminated direction indicators, and. the majority of the 1933 models will be found to include - some form of illuminated traffic • signalling system. ’But‘the new device is specially noteworthy because it is based on the traffic “robots” that are to be found in most of the large cities. In front of the windscreen on: the left and right sides of the car are brackets which carry three coloured signal lights, red, amber and green, conforming .to

the International Code. They are controlled by the' driver by a plunger switch mounted handily on. the dashboard,- and they can be seen from both front and rear of the car, by day and by night. The signals are simplicity-it-self as far as operating them is concerned. If you intend to turn to the right' you pull out- the dashboard plunger switch and immediately an amber Tight, denoting “caution” flickers -on both sides. FOOL-PROOF SIGNALS. As you turn the switch to the right a red light (danger) supersedes the cautidnary. amber, while a green light-(pass in - -safety) appears on the left-hand bracket. When you are finally, on your straight, course you. release the switch, when you have turned it,- and red, and green lights. continue to- flicker for. a fixed time until the plunger switch is full home. The lights then go out,, ensuring that signals. cannot be lef t' “on” by ■ mistake, and • the switch is not touched until it is necessary to give another 1 Signal. . • . I have devoted some space to describing; this device because in my view, it constitutes an important - and praiseworthy attempt to make motoring safer for all-, concerned. I do not hold it: up as .the only worth .while system or. as the ideal system—an opinion as to that can only come after a few. months’ experience with a. 'car bearing these lights—-Wt the innovation is.- a notable, one aud it indicates the eagerness .with which our great motor manufacturers are endeavouring to ensure; greater safety on the road. -' ■ . There, is little doubt that ordinary hand-signalling is often an unsatisfactory business.' If everybody gave the correct .hand signals as described in. the Highway Code there,might -be less.need for electrical light signals, but -the latter would always remain preferable, for they, .-emphasise. 1 the. . intentions of the driver muck-more, than the human hand can hope to do. Besides, there is the problem of , night driving, when ’ even- the most punctilious hand-signal may not be properly seen. V THE DE LUXE POLICY. New ground in the matter of - gratis accessories is: also broken by another company, which declares that it has adopted a ‘‘de luxe” policy - for all the 1933 models. What the term is intendto .convey is that. the new cars are all', completely equipped ' with ©very motoring aid, leaving purchasers-, nothing else to buy in the way of ‘‘comforts?’ Prominent among 'these aids to'better motoring is a central jacking' system, which, is included in the ordinary standard price. I see that the company claims the distinction of being the first of British manufacturers to stand-; ai-dise such, a fitting, but' while that is true: of, this particular type of jack' it ia only fair, to recall.' that another -maker' -includes a, four-wheel ■ jackingsystem in the ordinary specification. The convenience'of a central, jacking system" Cannot .'be 'over-estimated. ' The designers of' cars. have done much , to make motoring easier, but they have not yet succeeded in giving, us unpuhcturable tyres which preserve the desired” resiliency, nor have they yet evolved a'systein, similar to the automatic gramophone record changer, whereby' one . wheel suffering from tt punctured: tyre is .automatically changed for a spare wheel. Changing a wheel -, is . not a : difficult job, but it is a messy one, particularly on a wet night when the small fiddling jack which forms part of the average tool equipment cannot be induced to go where it is needed. Incidentally, it is worth noting, that so far no'inventor has come along with a jack that will hold a car with complete safety on a very steep hill. I believe some of the competitors in the recent Alpine • trials had much trouble when they tried :to change, a wheel on some of the Alpine gradients. It is rather a nuisance'if you have, as . it were, to jack-up the jack .to change a wheel.- It ought not to be beyond the competence of some resourceful mind to design b jack that will adapt itself "to the configuration of the ground.' SUPER BALLOON TYRES. While on-the subject of wheels it. is interesting to see that, so far there is no sign that British- manufacturers' are

adopting the super-balloon type of tyre which is-enjoying, some popularity in the- United. States. American motorists, aremore ready than their fellows in Britain to take to new ideas, and the , new "doughnut” tyre, it' seems, is an excellent selling point across the Atlantic. The American, manufacturers of tyres are apparently very keen to push this new type notwithstandingthe factthat the general adoption of the “doughnut”- would involve them in a loss of many, millions of dollars because , they would require to scrap their existing plant to a great extent. There is certainly much to be said for these new tyres in view of the stilt unsatisfactory state of the average ca>i suspension system. The large lowpressure balloons swallow all road shocks and make the roughest road comparatively- smooth. But it has not yet ■ been satisfactorily demonstrated that the steering is as eas, with these tyres as- with normal, low-pressure, tyres. From- the engineering point of view there is also the ■ objection ■ that such shock tyres -are a lazy way- -ci. Majsoas&g springing deficien-

cies. If- we. had perfect springs there would, be no need either; for shock absorbers or super-balloon tyres, and mechanical purists harbour the fear that if these tyres come into generaluse . the pressing problem of.- better . springing will be lost sight of-. Personally I do not think the. problem of ' improved suspension 'will 'be relegated to the background whatever the' fashion in tyres may be. Research is: always proceeding and -all -sorts of new ideas are being tried - out from time to time. Qn some .vehicles: a new type of springing kas -recently made its appearance. .It is known as the reverse camber type. ' When' these springs, which-are fitted to the rear, are’ bearing a! heavy load they-dip in a way that suggests' there is. - something seriously the matter, with them. But the opposite is the -case, and many important advantages are claimed for the reverse camber, such as resistance to sidethrust when cornering arid the 1 counteringl of other stresses.- • - . SUMMER OVERHAUL. . . ■ THOROUGH CHECK-NEEDED. ‘‘‘This .is :the time, of, year, when thoughtful motorists make certain that their cars are overhauled in preparation for the touring season, and the need for a - thorough look round of all motor vehicles cannot be ; stressed too strongly,” says the Canterbury Automobile Association in its latest safetyfirst message to motorists. “Of’-.course/’ says the - association, “there is no special time for checking up ; on the mechanism of, a motor vehicle. . There, should never be any doubt a.bojit the. working.-parts, as safety depends on the -efficiency of brakes, steering gear and-tyres ae well as on other components. “Many accidents could be. avoided., if motorists did not take risks wi th steer-ing-gear, ‘tyres _and brakes. - - While brakes are important in avoiding trouble,; the efficiency of the engine and the response of the accelerator in an emergency must riot be overlooked. Tyres which are-not’. regularly inspected and which are'badly worn may; blow out at some-time arid:-cause ,an; accident.: No chance should be. .taken at any time with hand, or foot brake. Brakes, should be. tested for wear, frequently. Motorists should .not.' wait. until breakage occurs ;iri some .part, or, an accident happens. The. onus is-on’every/driver to see that his motoring ability plus the dependable efficiency of his car mechanism contributes to road safety. “With the approach of the summer months the need for systematic overhaul is increased. No detail of motor vehicle efficiency-should be overlooked?'

MOTOR . MECHANICS.’

■EXAMINATIONS TO (BE HELD. The New Zealand Garage Proprietors’ Association has drawn up a plan for the examination . and certification of motor mechanics, and the. issue of a sign" or-token to .those garages - which are qualified to receive them. The object of the prove is to meet• the. request of'motor owners that, when their vehicles ' at© .placed .in .ja. garage to be. • repairedthe work will be done by skilful mechanics, with suitable equipment. The Association has prepared a synopsis of the qualifications necessary for such a certificate. It states that the intention is to ask the motor mechanics of the Dominion to submit their qualifications to an expert board of examiners who will determine the eligibility of each mechanic to receive thie certificate of the' association. Eligibility will be determined from' .proved experience and practice, oral and practical examinations. To 'be eligible for examination an applicant must have at least five years’ -actual workshop, .experience in the repair andupkeep of /motor vehicles.

The syllabus is divided into four groups:—-Fitting, electrical, machine shop- practice, tuning and adjusting. To qualify for .an.' “A” .grade, garage certificate applicants . will be expepted. to reach a‘fair -arid reasonable standard, In; fixing which premises, plant , and equipment, service facilities, and the employment of the required quota, of certified' mechanics will ibe taken into account.

'■ When the. board of. examiners certifies that the garage is to the. required standard,- an “A” . grade emblem ' will be issued, subject to the following conditions:— -

1. That the, garage . proprietor is a member of the New Zealand Garage Proprietors’ Association. (Inc.). r 2. That a deposit to cover the value of; the sign be paid and an undertaking given to return it‘ to -the. Association on request. ' ’ . ■' >■ 3. That the- percentage of ‘‘A” grade mechanics- employed in the business, is not-less than one of every three, or fraction -of three . mechanics employed, including working proprietors. 4. That the applicant agrees to pay to. mechanics • holding < ‘‘A” grade certificates .not less than- 2d per hour more than the minimum wage for motor mechanics provided in the Motor Mechanics’ award. Should ‘no ■ award be in force, the applicant will agree to pay not'less than 2s an hour to certificated men. ■ ' ‘ ' ■ -

Complaihte/in respect of a breach of any of the conditions under which emblems are issued, or in respect-of unjust treatment of a client, will be dealt with by the-association, ; which reserves the right to withdraw, the emblem and cancel the name on the register of any member who,: after enquiry, piay be found : guilty of a breach of the conditions, or of, conduct likely to bring the name of the motor trad* into disrepute.

SQUEALING BRAKES.

A POSSIBLE REMEDY. When four-wheel brakes that have previously been silent and smooth in operation gradually , develop a tendency to “squeal,” and cause shuddering of the car as the latter comes to a standstill, the cause, of ten is that the front brakes arc coming into effect too early or too Sotp’W l ’ n relation to the rear ones. Sometimes a cure can be effected by . slackening, off the adjustment of the front brakes slightly; but a better plan as a rule is to the rear ones and leave. the front’ ones alone. Often this treatment will improve the efficiency of the brakes as a whole, as <it. causes the rear brakes to do their, proper share of the work of bringing the car to a standstill smoothly and silently. j j