The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 783, 9 March 1905, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By “ Petrol.”)

Mr Cleave, hon. secretary of the Auckland Automobile Association, left Wellington on Thursday last in his 15-h.p. Darracq, and is returning to Auckland by way of Napier and Rotorua. ♦ * * * Mr Warren Blyth's new 10-h.p. doublecylinder car from the Speedwell Company has arrived by the Indi adevi. • ♦ » * The one-mile motor record has been .beaten by Mr H. L. Bowden, who covered the distance on the Ormond-Dayton, a beach track, in America, at the astonishing speed of 105.263 miles an hour. His time was 34 l-ssec. A. Macdonald, on the six-cyclinder Napier, did 34 2-ssec. Bowden drove a Mercedes. Mr A. E. Macdonald, on the same track, broke the five-mile world’s record, completing the distance in 3min 17sec, which beats by 14sec the record hitherto held by Mr W. K. Vanderbilt, and obtained last year on the same track with a 40-h.p. Mercedes! Mr Macdonald’s time gives an average speed of 91.37 miles per hour. « ♦ • * The deciding race in the Dunlop mo ter reliability contest was run from Melbourne to Ballarat (140 miles). The results were: —Heavy cars, Air H. r larrant (10-h.p. Argyle), :3hr 30min 45sec; light carsl, Air Craven. 3hr 48min : motorcycles, Mr B. James, thr llmin 30sec. Mr H. 'Tarrant thus wins the 100 guinea Buchanan Crip, presented by Alessrs Curcier, A det. and Co. on behalf of the proprietor of ‘‘Black and White” whisky. The trophy is of antique bronze, and represents Victory and Fame piloting an automobile. He also takes the Garland Cup, thei motor blue riband of Australia for 1905, and a gold medal commemorating the event. It was a line achievement for the Argyle car, which went through withont losing a single pout, being the only car to do so. * * * * Mr Craven wins the Robert Hurst trophy, while Air James secures the Kemsley Cup, the motor cycl ng bine riband, and a gold medal. * * « * Mr H. L. Stevens, who put- up such a fine record with his 12-h.p. Darracq in the Sydney to Melbourne test by beating the next man by nearly eight hours, not losing a single point, had bad luck in the final test to Ballarat as his driving shaft brol ie and h<‘ had to retire. It is interesting to note that Air H. J. Nichols, of South Australia, scored 2499 points , out of the possible 2500 with his big white Darracq, losing the one point by being 30sec late at Gundagai, a unique incident after a run of 121 miles. « * v * A ' tremendous reception was accorded Airs 'Thomson, of Adelaide, the sole lady competitor, on the arrival after the long run, the crowd cheering her tumultuously. and she was presented with a bouquet on behalf of the ’ promoters. The following instructions to motorcar drivers have been issued in London :—Passing cyclists and horse-drawn vehicles, give the maximum space possible ; passing restive horses, use the utmost consideration, even to stopping

the engine if necessary, although no hand mav have been held up ; on narrow parts of’ roads, cross-roads, corners, and bridges, drive slowly and w’ith caution ; passing through towns and villages ' and at roadside residences, go slowly, so as not to fill houses and cottages and cover gardens with dust, as well as for the safety of the inhabitants and their dogs, etc. ; passing pedestrians in wet weather, take care not to splash them. t. * * * The committee of the Automobile Club de France, last month dealt with the protest of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland in regard to the running of the Gordon Bennett Cup and Grand Prix International races. It was unanimously resolved to adhere to the original proposal to run the two races concurrently. The rules of the Grand Prix International were afterwards submitted and passed. The number of machines assigned to each country is as follows :—France, 15 ; German’/, 6 ; England, 6 ; Italy, 3 ; Switzerland, 3‘; Austria, 3 ; America, 3 ; Belgium, 3. Total, 42. The race will be run in the first week of July concurrent!}’ with the Gordon Bennett Cup race. The vehicles competing for the Gordon Bennett Cup will start first, in the order prescribed by the rules. The other vehicles will start in an order to be decided by the drawing of lots, without distinction of nationality.

I wonder how much the next contest for the Gordon-Bennett Cup will cost the trade ? (writes Mr C. H. Larrette in ‘‘Athletic News”). In France alone, no fewer than eighty cars have been entered for the eliminating trials, but only about ten will be entered that are of British make. The arrangements, it is estimated, will cost some £16,000. The lead set by the Napier Company to build their big engines with six cylinders, is being widely copied. Mhen it is taken into consideration that these cost fully four figures, the expense of constructing these speed monsters can be readily imagined. And it is the private purchaser who really pays for everything, just as the cyclist did for the b'ig racing expenses of the Dunlop and other companies’ racing teams years ag°- . . * * It is much too early as yet to forecast the future of the motor-cycle in the Colonies, but in Great Britain this class of machine has not attained the popularity expected of it. At first it went ahead with a bound, but during last year the business was not so satisfactory. Most of the dealers assign this retrogression to the dread of sideslip, which, they assert, has become more pronounced and more difficult to recover from since the weight and power of engines have been increased. And while these machines have gone up in power and speed, the prices have been considerably reduced, but without the desired effect. In some quarters the present tendency for tri-cars (in the old country) is held to be responsible for the fewer sales, especially in the big cities, where the three-wheelers distinctly score. It is anticipated, however, that the light motor-cycle—really a motor-assisted bicycle—will go far to regain the lost ground. The tri-car, which is being placed on the market this year, is in fair demand. From a side view it looks like a motorcycle, and the differen>ce is that there are two wheels instead of one in front, by which the machine is steered. The handle-bar of the cycle gives way to the steering-wheel of the motor, while the engine, of some 4-h.p., is water-cooled. This season’s tri-car is fitted with a

two-speed gear-box, in place of a twospeed gear hub, as formerly in use. This gear-box occupies a position on., the rear fork-struts, just Behind the bottom bracket, and is dri\cn by a short chain from the engine, and by a. longer chain from the gear-box to the rear driving-wheel. 'lhe steering-wheel (in place of the handle-bar) certainly enhances the appearance of the vehicle, while the driver has the look of one enjoying greater comfort, though some experts doubt whether this method of steering is the best for these light cars, where there is no reversible arrangement cn the steering-gear. « • • * There are many features to be noted when choosing a motor-car, but the points of first importance may be briefly stated. Other points are of secondary consideration, and should never be allowed to assume an importance to which thej’ have no claim, and possibly cause lhe vital points , to be overlooked. All parts liable to wear and which need readjustment should be easily accessible without the unscrewing of numberless bolts and the unbuilding of half the car. Such things as inlet and exhaust valves, commutators, clutch springs, water pump an!d gear cases should be easily got at for the purpose, not so much of repair but of examination. Prevention is so much cheaper than cure. Lubrication should be positive and efficient, with oil pipes of decently large diameter. Steering gear should be strong and simple, with some provision for taking up wear ; all nuts should be “castellated” and secured by split pins. Engine ard gearing should be protected from mud, dust and water. System of ignition should be simple, and all wires should be short and well insulated. In fact, simplicity in the control, operation and make-up of a car should be a leading feature, and should count much in> favour of its selection. Simplicity is the keynote of reliability. ♦ ♦ * * It is very gratifyinjg to learn that quite a record entry has . been received by the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland for the Gordon-Ben-nett race in France. This will ensure another eliminating trial on the same lines as was held last May in the Isle of Man, and it. is more than! likely that

•the same course will be again selected. The Napiers are once more to the front, Mr Edge having entered no fewer than four cars. Mr Lee Guiness will drive his 100 h.p. Darracq (British built), which performed so well at Blackpool, while two Stars, two Wolseleys and one -Siddeley, entered by Mr Lionel de Rothschild, made up the entry of ten. Arthur M’Donald will drive the sixcylinder Napier which performed so well in the Gaillon hill-climb in France in the autumn, and it is interesting to know that this car has been designed ■on entirely original lines. The six separate cylinders, understood to be of bin. bore and sin. stroke, are surrounded by separate water jackets of the .thirriest copper, electrolytically deposited. Aluminium has been used possible, and notably for tne 'caps which cover the overhead mechani-cally-operated inlet valves. The radi•ator, of special form, consists of a number of unflanged copper tubes surrounding the base of the bonnet. The engine is capable of developing from 120 to 140 h.p: The other Napiers will only have four cylinders and SO to 90 h.p. * ♦ • » A recent test made under practical conditions of service furnishes a very fair idea of the decided saving that can be effected on the cost of horse-drawn •vehicles by the use of the modern motor vehicle. A motor delivery van of 8-10 h.p. capable of moving a load of one ton at the speed of 12 miles an hour replaced four horses and vanrs. The business firm who conducted the test had "been in the habit of keeping a close record of the expenses of their delivery service, and were able to make an exact comparison of the costs of the two services. The result was as follows : — Horsed vehicle service, 260 days ; distance covered, 11,515 miles, or an average of 45 miles per day ; total cost, £l6O 12s 4d. Motor vehicle service, 260 days ; distance covered, 11,151 miles, or an average of 44 miles per day ; total •cost, £B2 2s 3d. Thus, a saving of nearly 50 per cent, was effected, with a better, quicker and far more regular service. The motor-van was fitted with solid rubber tyres. The details of the expense of upkeep will be interesting to our readers, and were as follows :— Tyres, £44 ; repairs and renewals, £5 6s ; fuel, £29 6s ; lubricants, £2 6s ; electricity, 8s 4d, which, distributed over 11,151 miles of running, gives the

cost of lid per mile. The fine result proves the truth of the fact that the first cost of a high-grade modern motor vehicle or carriage is the last cost of real importance.