MOTORING NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 194, 15 August 1936, Page 14

MOTORING NOTES

(By

“Accelerator."

MASS PRODUCTION ITS MANY ADVANTAGES. A few years ago it was common to hear argument about the effects, good or evil, of mass production methods on the quality of motor vehicles. Not so much is heard upon the subject nowadays, but outside the limited range of specialised and exclusive cars little is either seen or heard of automobiles ’hat are not units of mass production. A vigorous defence of the policy of the motor-car industry in making use of mass production methods has been made by the chief statistician of a leading 'American assembly factory. Mass assembly methods enable the industry to produce better cars at lower prices, he states. He denies that this has harmed either labour or the consumer, stating that the greater refinement in manufacture and the new things that have been added to the cars have absorbed the workmen who had been released in certain departments by labour-saving machines. As to the quality and endurance of present-day automobiles, another expert has written: “It is not so many years bar':; that automobile manufacturers thought they were doing a good job if the average life of their cars was in the region of live years. Since those days arbitrary surmises as to the average span of life of cars and trucks have been dropped and new ideas cast. “To-day. thanks to the thorough system of stocking replacements for wearing parts of automobiles, it looks as if well-built cars and trucks can be kept in operation almost indefinitely. “A check-up of registrations of automobiles registered in Australia at December 30. 1935. as against sales of new vehicles throughout Austral.a during the last decade reveals the far: that cars well cared for have a usef”. life of at least ten years, or double what was considered a satisfactory working life in early post-war day.. “No doubt the stress of economic necessity helped to bring about th’a situation in Australia, one which, it was predicted, would straighten itself out when motor owners were in a position to purchase new vehicles. “It does not. appear wise now even to assume that the 1936 vintage of auomobiles will not live longer than ten years. In fart, the logical deduction "is that as the present-day automobile is a better-built vehicle than those marketed a decade ago. its longevity’ will exceed that of the machine sold in, say 1925. and this in spite of the faster average speed and acceleration associated with present-day motoring." THE OVERDRIVE SYSTEM NOW FITTED TO CHRYSLER The first Chrysler-built ear to incorporate the overdrive and free-wheel-ing system is the new Chrysler 1936 Airstream touring sedan. To adequately describe the thrill when the overdrive cuts in at 45 miles an hour would be difficult, hut. there is a feeling of sailing over the road in absolute comfort with no noise from the engine itself. The principle involved allows the car to travel forward at the same road speed, but with the speed of the engine cut down by approximately half. The advantages of this are obvious in a car which can safely maintain a speed of about 60 miles an hour in absolute comfort and security. Incorporated with the free-wheeling, which incidentally allows for clutchjess gear change, travelling becomes egcnomlcal. Engine wear is also consequently reduced by the slower speed of the engine. Recently tested, the Airstream gave a very creditable display over some rough roads. The springing is soft fox this reason, yet side-sway was nut apparent when cornering at speed. The hydraulic brakes stopped the car in 26 feet at 30 miles an hour, an excellent performance for a heavy car. The latest streamlining principles are expressed in the shape of the » body, the general appearance of which

j is very graceful. The radiator shell is | of stainless steel and enamel designed' to accentuate the streamlined appear-i lance. The body of the car, solidly i built of steel and welded into one unit, is bolted directly to a frame of exI! optional strength, so that the two i serve to strengthen one another. The 'combination of new frame design and' (direct body mounting lowers the | I whole body one inch, adding greatly j Ito stability and roadibility. i An important improvement in the j new car consists of rubber pads which ‘completelv insulate the body from the I frame. At no point whatever are the (body and the frame in actual con- ■ tact- thus road noises cannot be | transmitted through the frame to the [body to any great extent. The steerling is smooth and easy. I Another contributing factor to rid--1 ing and driving ease is an improved synchronise! springing. There is also la" new and better mounting of the I sway eliminator. The interior of the ear is well groomed and in good taste. Comfort and luxury of detail (have been accented. The model tested 'was upholstered in green leather to ’one with the colour of the body. Built on Ute same length chassis as 'the 19.35 model, the 1938 Airstream appears to be many inches longer.' (Through a rearrangement and redesigning of the interior, three inches I (more width in the rear seat and in I the front compartment have been provided. Within the body itself there i is an increase of four and a-half inches for passenger space. This has . been made possible by moving the I dash forward and by redesigning the I rear panel. Several important improvements in the ventilating system (permit a scientific- circulation of fresh :;ir to suit the individual passengers. (The luggage compartment would comfortably hold two adults. TASKING PLUGS CORRECT SPACING j A hundredth part of an inch—less I than the thickness of an ordinary visiting card—seems an almost microIscopical measurement, and one which would not be expected to make much I difference to a motor-car, one way or Yet it happens in the case of the ■sparkling plug points. The correct I space between the points is about eighteen thousandths of an inch, but la gap of twenty thousandths is reasonable. If. however, the gap in- • creases it becomes too wide and [trouble may be anticipated. I In the first place, the wide gap •Throws a big strain on the coil or I magneto. A simple analogy is that ' whilst a man can .jump a distance of | '• feet easily, a jump of 14 feet requires very considerable effort. 'I he I spark will'jump a wide gap but. the j effort may eventually cause the mag-j ineto or coil to break down, whilst if {the insulation of the plug is dirty the current will leak away instead of providing a snark at the excessive gap. Again, the wide gap make starting , more difficult, which in its turn! means a greater strain on the batteries. with, perhaps, additional muscular effort by the owner. And. fin-. ally, it causes loss of power with a consequent increase in petrol con-1 sumption. All these troubles can be avoided by a little regular attention I to the sparking plugs, which should be kept clean and properly adjusted in order to provide easy starting, smooth running and economy in petrol conI sumption. Although there are no moving parts in a sparking plug, it is a thing which requires careful packing if damage to the thread, points and insulation is to be avoided. If plugs are left loose in the tool kit or wrapped up in a piece of rag from which they soon escaped - they are likely to be damaged. It is not always necessary to carry new plugs as spares, but it is essential to make sure, before fittting a new set in the engine, that they are of the correct type. Recommendation lists are issued by most manufacturers of sparking plugs. If the old ones are cleaned and adjusted they will serve as quite reliable spares. The best Mi

way to carry them is in the boxes which contained the new ones, the metal type of box being particularly i useful for this purpose. To keep the plugs from rattling, j they should be wrapped in a piece of ■ rag before being put in their tins, and a rubber band, such as a section ‘of an 1 old inner tube, will then hold all the . tins together. The result is a parcel . which will withstand travel amongst • the spanners, jacks, and general oddi menls of the motorist’s tool kit. SMALL RACING CAR I PRODICED BY AUSTIN FIRM i There will appear in road and track I events in England and on the Continent of Europe this season a team of I remarkable little racing cars produced iby the well-known Austin firm. These cars are the more noteworthy because they are the first vehicles built jin England completely as racing cars | for some years, excepting the E.R.A. cars which did so splendidly last year lin events for cars up to 2000c.c. capacity, and motoring enthusiasts in EngI land hope that the new Austins will I cover themselves with glory and add •to the prestige of the British motor indusl ry. The new cars are tiny little vehicle, having a piston displacement of only 744c.c., approximately the same as that of the standard seven | horsepower model marketed by the j firm, yet, through extremely good de- | sign and the aid of a supercharger. ; this new racing engine develops no I less than 116 brake horsepower at ; 7500 r.p.m.—a speed described by the I manufacturers as being moderate, but • which is about twice the maximum speed of a normal touring engine. Actually, the new racing engine under [discussion is designed to run up to I the phenomenal speed of 12,000 r.p.m. ! The cars have been completed, but ! have not yet been tested thoroughly, I and the maximum speed of which they will be capable is at present an un- | known quantity, unknown because it 1 is doubtful whether there is a driver i living capable of controlling the little ■ vehicles at the speeds in excess of 1140 m.p.h. for which they have been i designed. Providing the balance of the cars is right, however, some of •the crack drivers should be able to j hold them. Well-designed Body I Photographs of the new design pvhich have appeared in the overseas j Press show that it is the type now [generally known as “monoposto,” that |is to say, accommodation is provided I for the driver only, and he sits in a I central position over the propeller shaft, with the steering wheel, of course, centrally placed also. The single-seater body is beautifully designed, and is rather reminiscent of I the big Grand Prix Mercedes, with I rounded radiator shell and stream- ] lined tail, most of which contains the j petrol tank embodying a fairing behind. the driver's head. ! Great things are expected of these extremely interesting little cars, and those interested in motor sport will watch their behaviour with interest.