HIGH ROAD AND BY-ROAD

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16712, 30 January 1926, Page 20 (Supplement)

HIGH ROAD AND BY-ROAD

CAR OF NEAR FUTURE. SMALLER AND LIGHTER. Shortly before leaving America to visit the London Olympia Motor Show, Walter P. Chrysler, the president of the Chrysler Car Corporation, uttered some very interesting remarks regarding the future of motor-cars. It is the physical, and not the financial, saturation point that the automobile manufacturer must bear ia mind," says Mr Chrysler. "The physical incapacity of our streets and roads, and of the available parking spaces in metropolis and village alike, to accommodate the ever-growing number of cars, has definitely sealed the ,fate of the cumbersome car. Size that adds nothing to roominess, and weight that adds nothing to riding comfort, are now distinct handicaps. "The massive, heavy-weight motorcar is to be replaced by a smaller and lighter car. The over-size, ' overweight motor-car cannot survive, ever, in the limited quantities in which the highest-priced automobiles are now produced. "The whole industry," continues Mr Chrysler, "recognises that the coming of the compact but roomy, light, but substantial, popular-priced but highquality car of two years ago initiated an about-face in popular taste; and I unhesitatingly predict that within, say, two years the high-priced cars will have followed in the yath of the popular-priced leaders. This new type will be larger and roomier than the most successful models in the popular-priced field to-day. It »will contain all the quality and luxury that can be built into a car, and will offer extremes in performance, surpassing anything now built. Within the next two years, cars of 100 horse power, capable of travelling continuously at speeds up to 90 riiilcs an hour, will bo on- the market."

Mr Chrysler contends that the builtin ability of a car to achieve and maintain high speeds is the surest and best possible test of manufacturing soundness, long life, freedom from necessity for replacement, ami consequent saving in operation. High potential speed proves that a 'car is correctly designed, for only the properly designed motor will stay cool and be properly lubricated at such speed. It proves fine manufacturing also, because sustained speeds put the heaviest possible load on bearings, gears, and on other moving parts. Last of all, it is definite proof of the use of the very best materials, because poor materials warp, crystallise, or break under the extraordinary strains of such speed. Comparatively few drivers will ever use the full capacity ( of their motors, just as to-day but few use the speeds of seventy miles that many of their cars can do, but there new speed rangse will be assurance to them, of still finer engineering design. This development of greater horsepower and speed is but a logica l evolution. Scarcely half a dozen years ago only from 10 per cent to 12 per cent of the potential energy of fuel used actually was transmitted to the rear wheels. Refinements in carburelion and manifolding, development of new materials for reciprocating parts in the motor, and lessening of friction in the motor and in the power line have raised this nearly to 20 per cent at the present time. Few engineers, until recently, cared to submit their designs to dynamometer tests in speed in excess of 2400 revolutions per minute. Huge and cumbersome power plants were needed to develop speeds of 25 to 35 miles per hour. Contrast this with cnginering design to-day. Motors are of far smaller size and weight, yet of sucli improved materials that we think nothing of subjecting them to 50-hour•! tests at speeds of 3250 and 3400 re- j volutions a minute. I

The coming of these new cars with added power and speed possibilities is but the forerunner of totally new developments in motor car manufacture.

STREAMLINED TOURERS. The' streamlining of touring cars seems to have progressed as far as it can be carried without necessitating radical changes in body design. German manufacturers have been producing some remarkable looking bodies, in which the aim seems to be the reduction of wind resistance at all costs. Appearance, convenience and economy have been sacrificed for the sake of the apparent advantages of offering slim surfaces to the wind. For several years the Dumpier car has been gaining popularity in Germany. It is typically Teutonic in its aggressive departure from normal lines. Even the closed Sedan and coach models are pointed fore and aft, giving the appearance of a clumsy bluff-bowed boat. Boat-shaped bodies are also favoured by several other German automobile factories. There is no doubt that these creations are ■ decidedly freakish to the English eye. Some French manufacturers have made half-hearted attempts to emulate the German bodies. The Clem-ard-Walcker appeared recently in most unorthodox shapes. There were no mudguards, the body being built out over the wheels. The front wheels, although inside the body, were free to turn on cither lock with adequate clearance. The headlights were countersunk to the front panels. The arrangement of the streamlining of the Rumple? and North-Lucas cars is facilitated' by the mounting of the engine at the rear. This, of course, cleared up some transmission and radiator problems. These continental designs arc certainly successful in reducing the power losses due to wind resistance. The average touring car driver will, however, he hardly likely to think the sacrifice of a handsome appearance is justified.

SPARKS. A spot of oil is worth a lot of friction. Another sign of the shingling craze —the abolition of the hairpin hends. With the completion of building extensions of the Dodge Bros.' car factory, the company will have a production capacity of 1500 cars a day. An indication, of the all-conquering progress of autbmobilism is furnished by the fact that to make- way for a new motor road in China the ancient town wall of Kashing is to bo pulled down. London policemen on traffic duty have been wearing white coats to render themselves and their movements conspicuous to motorists. Metropolitan omnibus drivers have been wearing while armlets at night in order that their signals may be easily interpreted. The energetic and humane Prefect of Constantinople, Dr. Emfn Bey, lias issued to I lie police planks of wood studded with nails., and lias notified that Lhc officers are authorised to throw down these planks before any motor car selected for the operation at a distance of one yard. If the car cannot stop to avoid tyre punctures, its brakes are to be regarded as defective. The statement published sometime fgo regarding an alleged combine Of the Fiat and American Ford interests

is entirely without foundation. An official denial has come from the Fiat factory saying that "the news is destitute of any ground whatsoever."

MOTOR CYCLE NOTES. Many manufacturers of British motor cycles now rely entirely upon an engine-driven mechanical lubricant for the power unit. We have to thank American manufacturers for proving that the mechanical pump was a practical proposition. Some riders are still somewhat nervous of depending upon a mechanical pump alone, and, ; in consequence, they look askance at a design which does not incorporate ; an auxiliary hand pump. To insist • on the provision.of a second pump is, ' however, absurd; one might as well! insist upon the provision of an auxiliary'Connecting rod in each cylinder in I order that there might be a standby j in case the main connecting rod should j fail. I

John Seymour, the well-known | American speed crack, rode his Indian \ to the following times in the American | National Championships at Syracuse: Five miles, 3min 43sec; 10 miles, 7min ! 30seo; 15 miles, llmin 10 3-ssec; 25 miles, 19min 15s.ee. He cut down his j previous record of 49scc for the one- ■ mile dirt track to 44 2-ssec. ', An increasing tendency upon the j part of manufacturers to mount the j headlamp low lown above the front; wheel of the machine, instead of in the j old position above the handlebar, can j be observed. This tendency is fol- ! lowed also by many riders who fit f their own lamps, the idea in this case ! usually being to place the lamp in ! such a position that it does not inter- j fere with the general lines of a sports type machine. It is a question, however, whether this low ; handicap is altogether desirable, since it seems that, in an endeavour to obtain a sufficient length of beam from his lamp, the rider is apt to tilt the latter upward slightly, so as to dazzle other road users to a greater or lesser extent, according to the power and size of his projector. Riders will therefore be well advised to look to the adjustment of their lamp before starling„on their country tours.