MOTORING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14453, 27 May 1911, Page 4 (Supplement)

MOTORING.

THE CRAZE FOB. SPEED. CAE, TO BO 140 MILKS PER HOUR. Recently tho cable informed us that Burman, driving n Benz of 200 h.p., had reduced the flying-mil© motor-car record to 20 on the famous Florida Beach at Jjavtona (U.S.A.). Ho a!?o covered a kilomej.ru in 1G l-27see. Wo cannot fully realise the •speed which these figures mean. A hatter appreciation of the pace may he obtained when it is stilted 1 that lie moved at the rat© of 138 miles an hour. Those of us who have travelled at 40 miles an hour felt that we were "•going some," but when we think of adding another 100 miles on to .that pace it is really staggering. • Tho pre- , vious rcoord'for the mile was 27 l-3sec >; by Barney Oldfield, on ths same bsacb, although doubts were entertained tis to its genuineness. However, a wellknown motorist in Marriott, in a "White steam car, covered the mile en tho Florida Sands in 27 2-oscc. Burman'3 cut of the old record is a his one, all things considered, and til© Benz car he used is moat likely to be tho tamo as' handied hy Hemcry in England, when, on tho Brooklanda track, he reached a speed of 127 miles per hour —somewhat slower than that attained by Marriott, but just as creditable on account of tho turns at Brookhnfk. Largo and powerful as tho 200 h.p. Benz car js, tuo t'.i.A.l. Company nu6 built a racing machine of' 250 "h.p.. which will try conclusions with all records on the Brooldaiuls track, with Xazzsu-Oj tho famous Italian driver, at the •ri-oering Wheel. According t<> calculations, it .should at-ia-n o, speed of 140 miles per hour, all of which it will need, to beat Barman's record. According to Jt.A.C. rating., which, however, decs not take into cons:dernti.vn the f.troko of the engine, tho F.I.A.T. monster is 80.0 h.i>.. as against the Bona racer with 84.54. h.p. Ait?r being tried at Breoklands, tho F.I.A.T. will bo sent across to the Uirtod States and tested on the Florida Beach. DURABILITY OF MOTOR TYRES. In the matter of the durability of motor tyres, an American manufacturer recently completed an investigation into the various makes of pneumatics, and secured statistics from all parts of the United State.* bearing on tho lifo of tyres on motor-cars, which give some important facts. Perhaps the most, valuable of these is that, while tyro fitters in America give 3500 miles as the average mileage per of tyres, the reports gathered i'rom 145 car owners show ail average of nul'&s per set. Motor-cars in. both large aud small towns and cities in all parte oi the country were included in the inquiries. the purpose being to embrace every kind of condition as to roads, etc., etc., that American tyres are required to encounter. So names of tyres aiv mentioned in such a. manner as to reflect upon their merits, and tho rcjiilt shows that a number of tho 7nr.'Lc-= of tyres are giving notable s.-sr-v.ce whan the character of that service 0 con-rdered. The avera S 3 monihh- mikaw of the owners caiii-a out »t 5G3 2-5. The average number of punctures per u - owners :-m:-taiuc-d was r J - overage root-.srist buying tyres in tho ordinary way required a r.c-w tubj from cue cau.se and "another L, (Vf T- v *3-743.3 niilovhe covered. liie iJininrir-r, were .so mndo that no i'en'sr.than 80 different make; of cars woiv .'iiL'ladcrl, while 10 makes of tyros fiilK <i-.alt with, a'tlioucli there ana 'fV ri » otnn* n>mrt : on«l.. of which th? "'l2. 400 incomplete to 1>» of vali:.? Hi?errand n vera ore of mik-a<*£-|i i duruiK- a season for all niako". 01 fcyi ' r * „ abiilatnd ; S 5109.1. and ilhs inorace ror ont.-r covins for all ormws duriiir; the spawn is throes .u..rths of one.. to each ;:et of U'rea iu