MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2652, 24 December 1915, Page 14

MOTORS & MOTORING

£BY CIiCTOH.I Thfl popular Side-car. Ouo of the most obvious developments of motoring during the past few years lias been, the great advance in popularity of the motor-cycle, side-oar. It seems natural in. motor-cycling, as in motor caring—to coin a word—as soon as the technique of the single or small-powered machine is mastered, to desiro something more powerful and more companionable. But there is something moro thsntliat underneath the practical universality of the motor-cycle-eum-side-car attachment, and it is to .be found in the fact tliat while tho motor-cyclo, unfortunately, is tho special prey of side-slips and skids on greasy surfaces, and is in other ways the least stable of all forms of horseless traction, as soon as a side-wheel attachment. is fitted its stability and safety are at least equal to. that of the motor-car. That partly explains why the threatened opposition of the so-called cycle ear failed in any way to arrest or injure the popularity of the motor-bicycle-cum-side-car fashion. The cost of a side-car outfit is not far short of t'lie .'figure'that y-ill purchase some of the very cheap American light care, but the economy of running, speed, and comfort of the side-car equipment has gained this type of outfit a popularity that will not only endure, but grow. Attention to Valves. After the valve caps have been removed for scraping out or decarbonising an engine there is always thei temptation, if the valves are about due for attention, that they should' be seen to at the same time, so that the trouble of, taking out the valvo caps again may be avoided. This, however, is undoubtedly a mistake. It does not matter how carefully the engine is scraped or how much trouble is taken to get out all'.the dust after, decarbonisation, some must remain in the engine, and it is much the best to run it' a few miles before interfering 'with the valves- If one'or two particles of carbon should get under the valves it will not matter then, as they .will later, on' be taken out and cleaned, and, if necessary, ground in. On tho other hand, if the valves are taken out, cleaned, and ground in at' the same time as the decarbonisation, it follows that any loose particles of carbon which may get under them will rem'ain' there ana oauso trouble by fitting and otherwise spoil-ing-the seating. Expert Driving and Economy. Some' time, ago there was performed in America a motor-car fuel demonstration that provides material for close study b,v car drivers. Tho , car that was used has a normal consumption of 20 miles to the gallon, but in the skilled hands of the' performers they, got 75 miles to tho gallon at the first attempt, and at the second attempt close upon 100 miles to the gallon—duly authenticated—which seems ,an incredible performance. . The car, it was admitted, was prepared with the greatest exactitude in several' respects. It had a specially high:top gear, and very carefully proportioned' gears to suit every hill on the route. The carburetter had been "tuned," as the phrase goes, to the limit. The feat, however, depended in tlio maiii on tho skill of the driver. Curiously enough he seemed to work' on'tho main principle that drivers of electric trains have long adopted to get tho "bonus awarded for saving current, and that is to work up to full' speed, i.e., accelerate very rapidly, shut off tlio ■ power, and then "coast" along to tho I next stopping-place. The driver never ran tho engine except when absolutely necessary, his chief anxiety' boing to keep tlio throttle closed—as nearly as possible. He coasted with clutch out down every liill, and rushed up tlio next by momentum as far ..as he could, and then let tlio ei\jine pull to the top, with a carefully-selc'cted gear .-ratio-.-en-gaged.' The brakes were not used except when absolutely required in an emergency, because it was realised- that the use of brakes meant so much dead loss, of fuel in the. dissipatipn of the energy of momentum. The utmost use was .mado of' the ignition control, so thai.with the least possible amount .of mixture and spark set to full advance they could not get along on the level .with' a largo enconomy of fuel. .. No "racing", of the engine was permitted, and iio' idle running: every inch the pistons moved had, if possible, to he translated into, car motion, which is, after all. 6imply the application of fundamental facts and principles reducedto a fine art. The performance was not bv any means; a conjuring feat, and if the average car owner would keep this in mind, and act-upon it, he would be ill a fair way to reach that elusive desideratum of fuel economy. ' We are not' suggesting that with the average car a motorist can effect an cconomy equal to that referred to, because, as we have stated, the car was in many respects specially prepared for the test, but we contend that it is pos-. sible, if the finer points of driving, are carefully .studied and observed, for a very . considerable economy in. fuel to be 'obtained by carefully nursing the engine. , 1 [An Immense Industry. Some idea of the immensity of motor--1 ing in the United States may be gathered from figures which have recently been published in the '-'Automobile Trade Journal,'-' a Chicago publication. It states that there are now (October 1, 1915) no fewer than 2,235,000 motorcars in uso in the Republic, in addition to some 200,000 trucks, and the journal, figuring that, on an average, four people enjoy the use of each car, shows that nearly nine millions ot people there are enjoying the pleasures of motoring, and states that tho number is increasing at the rate of 2,820,000 annually. It further calculates that some 1,117,500,000 gallons of petrol are consumed, yearly m running them; which mca'ns an expenditure of be.yond ninety millions sterling for this item tOono. Tires are estimated to equal a similar amount; and, after detailing other, items, it is shown that the all in annual cost of motoring in tho United States of America, apart from the purchase of new cars, approaches £180,000,000; whilst "it makes the cost of new cars exceed £100,000,000, and estimates' tlio grand total of money expended on motoring in Here and There. Ligliting-up time for motor-cars and motor-cycles:—To-morrow, 7.39" p.m. Next. Friday, 7.41 p.m. ■■ The following leather upholstery reviver is recommended by a motoring correspondent: Mix equal parts of linseed oil, turpentine, and vinegar together in a bottle, which must be kept air-tight. It should be rubbed into the upholstery with a clean piece of flannel, and polished with a soft cloth. It has kept a beautiful face on' my upholstery, and there is no , sign of a crack on it. A wholesale confiscation of motorcars lias taken place throughout' Austria. ' Such is tho seriousness of the shortage that all owners of vehicles have been ordered to deliver their tires, and persons who conceal or neglect to deliver.them to the authorities are liable to .imprisonment from one month to a year. ' ~ - . . From tho lioiidon , "Times" agony column recently.—"Young lady desires loan of motor-ear foi"taking out wounded officers; no objection to two-seater." Owners of mono-cars need not apply. The Frcneh military authorities have decided to replace the .voting drivers in the French motor transport service bv men belonging to tho older classes of .jioldiers,