MOTORING NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19255, 17 December 1930, Page 4

MOTORING NOTES

- BY

"MAGNETO."

The Road Patrols. The decision of the Canterbury Automobile Association to limit the services their patrol men to association and affiliated association members is one that may not meet with the approval of every motorist. But, then, every motorist is not a member of the Canterbury Automobile Association. One can hardly expect the association members out of charity to provide free service for those motor-car owners who will not join up with an association. While the patrol man is wasting his time with a non-member, there may be a dozen members awaiting his services along the road. The obvious thing to do when the patrol man asks- you to sign on the dotted line is pay over the guinea and be sure of the extensive privileges that belonging to an organisation brings. “ Wizard ” Smith’s Record Attempt. Never has a man faced a big task with more confidence than Norman Smith, who next March intends making an attempt on a New Zealand beach to better the late Sir Henry Segrave's record of 231.36 m.p.h. Not only is he confident of bettering the existing figures, but of adding at least forty miles per hour to the world’s fastest land speed. The reasons for Norman Smith’s confidence is that he will have one of the finest and most efficient engines that Great Britain has produced —giving off over one horse-power to every pound weight of metal. Although the “Hush-Hush” Napier engine, of which no details are permitted by the British Government, develops twice the power of the engine in Segrave’s Dunlopshod “ Golden Arrow,” it bulks considerably smaller, enabling a lower-set machine. to be constructed. It will be the most efficient engine ever fitted in a chassis, and its tremendous power is made possible by perfect balancing, high revolutions and supercharging. Another Important fact that makes Smith so confident is the wonderful beach at Kaitaia, upon which he will make his attempt. At the Daytona Beach (U.S.A.), upon which Segrave, Campbell and Keech all established records of over 200 miles per hour, there is only a ninemiles stretch of suitable hard sand available, the timed course being the central mile. Experts claim that its maximum speed-carrying capacity has nearly been reached. On the New Zealand beach there is a thirty-mile stretch of perfect sand, so hard after the tide has receded that a heavy, pneu-matic-tyred vehicle leaves no indentation—only a slight feathering of the top grains of the hard sand showing where the suctiop of the tyres has turned over the top film of sand. Smooth as glass, there is practically no vibration or dithering of wheels. When Segrave recorded his last great drive at Daytona the “ Golden Arrow,” through striking a small rut on the beach, leaped forty-seven feet before touching the sand again. After Norman Smith's run at 160 miles per hour for one mile and 14S miles per hour for ten miles on the s s ei e a @ is a ® @ 111 is ei m a a hi @ a a

New Zealand beach in January, 1030, he examined the track of his car on the sand, and in no instance was there evidence of the wheels ever having lost contact with the hard sand; furthermore, his car, even at 160 miles per hour, called for no special effort in steering; in fact, the machine almost steered itself. Summed up, the reasons for Norman Smith’s great confidence is that he has the finest engine ever used by any contender for the world’s speed blue riband, whilst lie is satisfied that the Kaitaia Beach is many miles faster and considerably safer than the Daytona Beach, upon which so many classic world’s records have been established. The Napier power unit arrived in Sydney recently, and every effort is being made at the engineering works of Harkness and Hillier to have the car finished in ample time for the great event, in March next. ♦.* *.• High “ Rev ” Engines. One of the most important developments in automobile engine design of recent years has been the stepping up of the revolutions per minute. Less than twenty years ago the four-cylinder power units, even in racing cars, ran at about 2500 r.p.m.; to-day racing engine speeds of 5000 to 6000 r.p.m. are not uncommon, whilst even passenger cars nowadays often touch between 3000 and 4000 revolutions. The object of this increase in engine speed is to obtain more power with the same cylinder displacement. This increased speed is gained by better balancing of reciprocating parts, larger valves, different, cam setting and lighter pistons. The latter are now usually made of aluminium alloys instead of the heavier cast iron type, an additional advantage being that the alloy piston conducts heat away from the piston bead quicker than the heavier metal. That automobile engineers have been able to design and produce power units of extreme lightness and high efficiency that will stand up to sustained work for long periods without engine fatigue is one of the wonders of the automobile age. An outstanding instance of high “ revving ” was the re-v cent performance of the little 7 h.p. Dun-lop-shod Austin, which won the English 500 miles race at an average speed of 83.4 miles per hour, which called for the miniature engine (747 c.c.) revving at some 5000 r.p.m. for over six hours. News and Views. The Riccarton Borough Council should try their hands at ironing out a few of the corrugations on Deans Avenue. Have mercy on the long-suffering springs of motor-cars. The council concerned might easily put a few loads of metal on Wrights Road, Addington. The pot holes there have not seen a speck of new metal for over six months. Country nephew: ‘‘Has a taxidermist !@®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®uum®t

anything to do with a taxicab?” Town uncle: “ Er, no, my boy. A taxidermist skins only the lower animals.” ♦'* *'* There are now only four States in America \vhere there is no petrol tax. In eighteen States there is a horse-power tax and in four a tax on price is levied. New York was the first State in America to require motor vehicle licenses. The practice was started in 1921, and £l9l was collected for the first year. In 1929 the total motor vehicle registration of New York State was 2,263,259, resulting in the collection of £7,658,662. One of the difficulties faced by the garage staff of Buckingham Palace is said to be the obliterating of initials scratched in the paintwork of the King’s car. These same initial-carving fiends leave traces of their handiwork on most of England’s famous buildings, and even on the tombstones of famous cathedrals and churches. TRUCK BARGAINS!!! TNTERNATIONAL, In perfect order. Done small mfleage. Carry 30 cwt. Suit country Storekeeper or Dairy Farmer. The price is right too. DODGE DELIVERY, with Cab. Farmers!! Builders!!! Drainlayers!!! See this Utility Truck early. You can buy any of our Used Cars with Confidence. Easy Terms Arranged. Write or ’Phone for particulars, WRIGHT, STEPHENSON and CO., LTD. Central Garage, Open Daily till 6.30 p.ra. Friday Nights till 11 p.m. X fiBESHH IS HEBE! Si SOBS a SB EES® a