MOTOR AND CYCLE NOTES

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160731, 18 August 1920, Page 5

MOTOR AND CYCLE NOTES

FOR THE MAN ON THE WHEEL. (By “Clutch”), The Autocar (England) states;— “Last week the daily papers published a sensational account of how a certain Mr Toney Milton drove a 16-cylinder car at Daytona Beach, Florida, on April 27, over a mile course in 23,07 5ec., equal to a speed of 156 miles per hour. We read that Mr Milton was somewhat inconvenienced by his engine being on fire and by the flames bursting through the hood of the car. After passing the tape he ‘calmly slowed down’ and drove his ear into the sea to put out the flames. Reports do not say whether he drove the car out again. If he did we congratulate him on the excellent ignition of his engine, and anxiously await details thereof.” DIRT IN THE ENGINE, Many drivers raise their engine hoods in hot weather, believing this will help keep the engine cool. At the same time, however, road dust and dirt will more easily get inside the cylinders, either througlx the carburettor or the crankcase breather pipe. And the resultant trouble is not worth the preventive step against overheating. LUBRICATING OILS. It is false economy to use any but the finest lubricating oils of the highest flash point obtainable. More damage can be done to an explosive engine with a few hours’ rxmning using, low flash point oils than thousands of miles with the finest oils. The chief essentials of first-class lubricating oils are a high flash point and good viscosity at higher temperatures. It is also essential that the oil must be entirely free from acid. The biggest percentage of engine troubles is due to incorrect lubrication or faulty lubricants. PAINTING THE CAR. An expert carriage painter only can obtain the real “factory finish,” but it is well to know how to do the work yourself. When the surface is in good condition and it is desired merely to freshen the colours, clean off all dust, dirt, and grease with benzine or turpentine. Next sandpaper lightly to cut the gloss, and then apply one or two coats of a good automobile finishing varnislx. It if it is desired to change the colour, first thoroughly clean off all foreign matter with sandpaper, apply two coats of automobile enamel of the desired colour, and varnish. INDIANAPOLIS CAR RACE. Particulars are to hand from America of the great Indianapolis 500 miles motor car race, the. richest automobile track event held in the world. A brief cablegram some weeks back anounced the bare fact that G. Chevrolet had won. Details to hand show that this classic “500” attracted an enormous crowd of 125,000 spectators, who were naturally elated to see the Blue Riband motor event of America won by an American driver, with an American car. In previous contests European drivers and cars have generally carried off the honours. Chevrolet drove a “Monroe” car designed by his brother. The winner covered the 500 miles in shr. 40min. 16sec., and had three minutes to spare at the finish. His average speed was 88.16 miles an hour, which is not far off the record (89.84 miles per hour) for this race, standing to the credit of R. de Palma on a “Mercedes” in 1915. The contest proved that small engines of high efficiency have as great speed possibilities as the larger engines used in the past. A French car—a “Ballot,” driven by Thomas—finished second. Three “Ballots” started, and they ran second, fifth, and seventh, a fine performance, especially as De Palma, who won fifth position, was five miles in the lead at 374 miles when his car caught fire. The flames were extinguished, and he was soon off again, only to have the same trouble again a few miles further on. These mishaps cost him the race. A strange coincidence is that the same trouble lost De Palma this classic event seven years ago, his car, when well in the lead, catching fire and being burnt when 498 miles of the 500 had been covered. The winning car’s power unit was a four-cylinder engine of 183 cxxbic inch piston displacement. The “Ballot” is an eight-cylinder engine of the same displacement. The first prize is worth £4OOO, but many extra bonuses make the event worth nearly double that amount to the winner. GERMAN RIDERS DEBARRED. The well-known German racing cyclist, Walter Rutt, is keen on getting back to the American racing circuit, but it appears that the International Cyclists’ Union—the world’s governing body—has decreed that no riders from the late enemy countries may compete on Allied tracks. Consequently, Rutt and many other first class riders are debarred from racing in England. France, Belgium, Italy, America, and Australia. REFLECTOR MIRRORS. Various sections of the English motor press have of late been making an insistent call for the use of reflector mirrors by all road vehicles. Motorists in general are beginning to realise the great advantage from the use of such mirrors attached to their cars. To be able at a glance to see all following traffic moans safer and speedier progress through crowded streets, most motorists know what it means to be held up behind a large commercial, or furniture van, the driver of which has not heard the alarm sounded, not because the driver won’t move over, but simply because he is not aware that you are endeavouring to get past. If every road vehicle were compelled to carry a cheap but effective form of reflector, what a difference it would make to progress along main thoroughfares! Much congestion would be saved, and many accidents averted.