Motoring Notes.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 July 1924, Page 6

Motoring Notes.

Bringing the Motor Car Factory to the Home. One of the most unusual, and at the -same time one of the most instructive demonstrations that has 'been ex n \ r iu a number of years, is no a be staged in various cities throughout 1 1 _ United States. A short time ago *i - v arrived in Saginau, Michigan, a r. truck equipped with a specia) bed) with hinged sides, w , ' let down, provides a large, stage M which the demonstration is lie u. ' companying the truck are three mechanics and a lecturer. Upon the stage m each ei ; y nhcie the truck stops, a. compiete sx. Buiek motor car is built and d away under its own power. Ah the parts which are used m buildlll * -X chassis are obtained from he Bu ck distributor in the city where the tie “ration is staged, which reahsU - atlv demonstrates the peitect mtc changeability of the parts that can be •obtained tfrom ©nick representatn os eV Dimng er the building of the c ar a talk is given by the lecturer who 1S f °“ the Service Department ot the Bi c factory. This talk follows complete.) the operations of the workmen as the car is P constructed, and gives the specifications of the various units used. When the ear is completed it is driven down a runway from the truck to the street, and then to the local. Buick salesroom, where it is placed on exhiThis demonstration and exhibition is creatine a great deal of common throughout the United States, and crowds of interested spectators . have greeted the truck in all cities visited. Tho uniqueness and novelty of h demonstration, which practically bring the Buick factory to the home of the buyer, has had a far-reaching appeal, and the qualities of the 1924 Buick are always the main topics of conversation among motorists of the cities visited for many days afterwards.^

Summary of Engine Troubles. Loss of power at low speeds may be due to the following causes:— < Poor compression —valves leaking. Too rich or to lean mixture. Dirty plugs. , , , Too great tension iu vibrator blades. Weak exhaust valve spring. Air suction at induction pipe. Too small gap in spark plugs. Too much tappet clearance. At high speeds it may be due to: Bad commutator surface. Bagged or dirty platinum points m coils. Weak valve spring. Unsuitable mixture. * * * * Indecision. , ~ , It is shown upon good authority that many'collisions and accidents are the direct result of indecision and that there must be an effort made to stand by one’s decisions with regard to passing other cars, turning, parking, stopping and starting. The driver who slowly but deliberately drives through a line of pedestrians who won’t obey the traffic officer is much less likely to injure them than flit? driver who starts to assume his right and then changes his mind. As soon as indecision enters the mind of the party of the first part, the same mental attitude is found in the mind of the party of the second part.. There is confusion, and, finally, an accident. * * * *

Learn to Drive. The prevalent idea that the first'tune buver of a ear should learn to drive on a borrowed one, so that his own shall not suffer damage on account of mishandling, is open to question, because the' average novice would appear to experience more difficulty in changing over from one ear to another than he has when he starts for the first time to handle a car of any kind. His slight experience of driving may be a positive-drawback when he is taught in one kind of a car as a preliminary to taking over one of another make and size. In fact, men who have driven one particular car, their own, for two or three years, and then, haying bought a new one quite different in many ways from the old, have done far more damage to the gears, transmission and tyres (the last two by faulty -clutch operation) than they did. to their first cars while learning to drive.

Best Service from Car. So far as the operating mechanism of the average touring car is concerned, the outstanding necessities are® regular and sufficient lubrication with correct and high-grade lubricants, and the maintenance of continuous close adjustment. These two points if carefully attended to will tend to continuous road service and generally -satisfactory results. The reason why certain reputable cars give widely differing results in the bauds of different owners is found in the divergence of opinions regarding correct driving and operation generally. The adoption of what may be described as gradual methods of operation has "been known to change the reputation of a car. Every one has heard of certain cars described as being “for ever at the repairers,” Close enquiry would show that the type of car referred to is subject, quite uneon«« : - ug j to mechaineM abuse. “ ’ ig not '“surprising ii *.~,r tyre troubles, too, are usually associated with the same kind of car, whatever its make may be. ft is the personnel of the driver that counts. « * * *

Showy Driving. There are ear drivers who, no longer young, have never got over the habit of doing things suddenly, and this usually means also excessively. With this'type of driver a favourite method of bringing the car to a halt at a cuib is to reach the destination at very high speed, and then to violently make use of all the braking facilities available. Such a method is costly when practised rarely in case of emergency, but wherever it is habitual the running cost 3of the car go up forthwith. It is

Hints and Mews.

apt to cause destructive stresses in the chassis as a whole, while the tyre bill influenced by such abuse. A characteristic of the same type of driven is to make large and sudden a - toihons of liis throttl. ojeutug, lv bv means ot the aeceleiat • P from “stunt” economy g ods. the most effective way of jccuii g i* troi “f tpciata one’s mttoriog. An cxeossive opening of the throttle literal y tears petrol "from the carburetter jet under E conditions that a certain propertion of the fuel is not properly used i producing pressure upon the pistons. Under these circumstances petrol economy becomes impossible. In a smaile decree the same argument applies _ to he use of the steering mechanism. Speaking from experience of considerable observation of average touring car driviii", the writer does not hesitate to S av that some 30 per cent of the steering movements employed by the averaerc driver arc wholly unnecessary The non-essential movements have alwa)S to be met by further reactionary movements to Check that which is overdone. In this way undue wear is imposed upon the steering mechanism, and also upon tbe front wheel tyres. Summed up, the type ot driving which makes for continuous service, economy and comfort is the hm<l into which no sudden action is introduced. This way safety lies. •** * *

Motor Cycle Notes. , . , One thousand five hundred and uiuet) motor cycles were exported from Belgium last year, compared with 490 m 19-2. ' . During the month of April £2434 worth of motor cycles were imported into Great Britain. The exports for the same period exceeded £162,000. Brooklands 'racing should be exceptionally interesting this year, for several makes which have been absent from speed events for years will again be seen on the track. r .l he increased popularity of the o.h.v. spoits machine among oslo riders is, ot.course, the predisposing cause, for manufacturers who have iu the past confined themselves to touring machines are out to capture some of this market if possible.