The Motorist.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 800, 6 July 1905, Page 14

The Motorist.

(By

“ Petrol.”)

The eliminating motor contest to decide which cars and drivers shall represent France in the Gordon-Bennett race took place on the 16th ult. over the Auvergne circuit, the course upon which the big event itself will be decided, lhe results, which were cabled to the Dunlop Tyre Company, are a win for M. Thery, and a second and a third for MM. Duray and Caillois respectively. The course, which had to be covered four times, is 83 miles in length, making the total distance of the contest 344 miles, which the winner compassed m 7 hours 36 minutes.

M. Thery, it will be remembered, won the same test race last year, repeating the performance in the Gordon-Bennett, when he secured the cup from the Germans, who had annexed it in the P 1 ®" vious year. M. Thery drove a RichardBrazier car, as before, while M. Duray s choice was a De Dietrich niotoi\jthe tniici man, M. Caillois, driving one of the same build as the winner’s.

The course is considered to be one of the most trying yet adopted for this competition, being well supplied with sharp turns. In fact, it is said that in the circuit there are 145 right-angle coineis which are dangerous. Hence the time of the winner, which works out at an average pace of 45 miles an hour, is really a wonderful performance, for the race was not merely a test of speed, but of great judgment of pace and skilful handling generally. The sharp turns, if taken at as fast a speed as the angles allowed, was an enormous strain on the tyres and cars, to say nothing of . the nervous tension endured by the driver. In addition to she cup, the first prize is a sum of £5BOO.

The speed-changing mechanism in the motor car requires very careful handling (writes “ Fortis”), and that there are some novices in motoring may be recognised by the jarring sound heard when the changing levers ai<? operated with. Some drivers, who have been handling their cars for a long time, are slow in mastering the principles of the movement. and the chattering and rattling heard when the change is being effected are a most discordant sound to the mechanical ear. Many drivers, when climbing a hill, wait too long before they throw in the low gear; for when the engine is making fewer revolutions per minute than the number at which it gives its full power, not only is time lost in climbing the hill, but there is a much greater strain, and consequently wear on the machinery.

All motorists know mat most pneumatic tyres become quickly heated when in actual use, and the temperature they attain often exceeds 40deg. C. In highspeed cars, running at 50 miles per hour and over, the temperature may reach 70deg. to 80deg. C., perhaps _ even more in very hot weather. Writing of air and of its composition, it is pointed out that the two principal gases are oxygen and nitrogen, and a curious fact is that the former gas has a greater penetrating or diffusing power than the latter. and, consequently, the air in a tyre that has been for a loi g time inflated is richer in nitrogen than the outside atmosphere. This explains why an airtight tube always needs inflation at comparatively short intervals, during the first week or two, but as the nitrogen collects, the periods of inflation are longer. The ideal gas for tyre inflation is nitrogen, but this, however, canont be obtained economically.

An English motor car firm writes as follows to “ The Motor”:—We have noticed lately that many of your readers are asking if the air-cooled engine can be relied upon. We are making a small car, with air-cooled twin-cylinder engine. These we have supplied to India, South Africa, and Australia. The reports are that the engines are working satisfactorily in these hot climates. The reason that air-cooled engines over-heat is that the fins are not deep enough. A light car requires a 5 horse-power engine, and the only way to make an efficient air-cooled engine of this power is to have two cylinders. The following is one of the tests to which we have put the twin-cylinder air-cooled engine. We took out two cars, each carrying two passengers, the one fitted with a 6 horsepower water-cooled single-cylinder engine, of a make which is familiar to all motorists, and the other fitted with twincylinder air-cooled engine. The object was to run until one failed, that is, overheated. The day was hot, and to make the trial short, we chose a very hilly dis-

trict. The result of this trial was that the air-cooled engine came out on top. We then, as a furthei’ test, ran the aircooled engine a non-stop of 40 miles, and this was without allowing any time for cooling down. We might give many reasons why we prefer the air-cooled motor for very light cars, say, of scwt to 7cwt, but will not trespass too much upon your space. An important point is the great saving of weight, fewer working parts, and lower cost of production. “ I think we are very much better off in the South Island than in the North in regard to our roads (writes Mr. George Sise, captain of the Dunedin Cycling Club, to “ Demon” of the “ Otago Witness.”) They have nothing to come up to our Main South road. I was the guest of the Auckland Motor Car Club at their midwinter run on Saturday, June 10. Sixteen cars took part in this run, and I was surprised at the number of high-power cars out—from 20 horsepower Olds to 5 horse-power De Dions. Most of the North Island motorists use cars of about 15 horse-power. Motoring is becoming more popular every day in this island, but I think with our advantage of roads, the South Island in a short time must take pride of place in the New Zealand motor world. I am surprised how very few motor cycles one sees in the North Island. This, I think, is due to the rough surface of the roads.” Just so. Mr. Sise, you have hit the nail on the head at the first blow. Our Norther# roads are a disgrace to everyone connected with them, and there is no .present chance of any improvement being effected, more’s the pity.

Mr. George Tallis, who is a member of the firm of Williamson, Tallis and Ramaciotti, theatre directors, also manager of Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, is one of the most ardent motorists in his home city (says the “ Referee”), having been a devotee to the “ horseless carriage” for about a year. Early in 1904 he purchased a Little Humberette from the Melbourne , agent, Mr. Kellow, but recently he went in for a more powerful and commodious De Dion, which he now uses daily to convey him from his home in Camberwell to the city. “ Motoring,” says Mr. Tallis, “is my only pastime, and it meets all my requirements admirably. 1 -have learned more about the beautiful surroundings of Melbourne in all directions since I became a motorist than I thought at one time I would ever know; indeed, much more than I possibly could have learned by means of any other mode of conveyance, for one can get about so expeditiously and with such perfect freedom from worry about horses being tired. Motoring just suits me in every way, and I’m glad I took to it 5s a hobby, a pastime and a utility machine.”

After the great Paris Exhibition of 1900 it was announced that no more of these periodical world’s fairs would be held, on account of the difficulty of getting a suitable representation of the different industries, which are developing in such a phenomenal manner that it is no longer possible to group all the products together within a reasonable area. It is, therefore, intended to replace the universal exhibitions with a. series of smaller industrial manifestations, each devoted to a special branch, and the first of these is to be an exhibition of motor cars and sports to be held in 1907. Onehalf of the show will be given un to motor cars, and means of transport generally, and the other to sports of all kinds. A

strong organising committee has been appointed, and it is intended to hold the exhibitions on the Champs de Mars, where special buildings will be erected for the purpose. * * * *

According to the “ Referee,” Mr. Fisher, the energetic secretary, of the Automobile Club of Australia, estimates that the value of the cars belonging to the sixty members of the club cost approximately £45,000. At present the cars run from £5OO to £l5OO. The recent purchasers have mostly been £750 and £lOOO cars. The majority of the cars are French, the Darracq being about 25 per cent, of the total. * * * *

Mr. Charles G. Wridgway broke the world’s motor car track record for 1000 niiles by over four hours on Brighton Beach on May 5, says a New York despatch. He drove a 24 h.p. Peerless touring car, and completed the distance in 25hr 50min lsec. He was at the steering wheel throughout, and dismounted only six times for half an hour at a time. The previous best time was 29hr 53min 37sec.

Undue prominence lias been given by the unfortunate explosions of gasolene onboard submarines to the explosive effects of petrol when mixed with air (writes “ Auto.”) Despite the fanciful efforts of comic artists, the fact remains that a motor car cannot blow up. The powei

of the petrol motor is derived from explosions of the vapoui’ of petrol, mixed with air in certain proportions by a special mechanical appliance (the carburettor), but the explosions take place inside a cylinder made for that very purpose, and are thus turned to useful purpose. Power is generated by a petrol motor on the instant it is required, and there is no energy stored up against possible needs which might be a source of danger at a given moment. In a submarine vessel the vapour of gasoline (rectified petrol), which is formed of ordinary, atmospheric temperature, and is heavier than air, might lay on the floor of the engineroom and be exploded by a naked ■electric spark; but with motor cars and vehicles this cannot possibly happen. The free passage of air under and around motor cars is a guarantee against a chance of explosion, and one has never been known to happen. Only a fool would look for a leak in a gas pipe with a naked light, and thus a wise motorist will never use a naked light when examining his engine. Electric lamps must be used.