MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2734, 31 March 1916, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

* IBt Cldioh.l A New Record. Records'are only made to be broken. Another went bv* the board recently, when Mr. Boyd Edkins, one of the most popular figures in tho New South Wales motoring world, and a prominent member of tho Automobile Club of Australia, deprived Mr.. A. V. Turner, of the Melbourne to Sydney motor-car record, establishing new figures which will take a lot of heating. Mr. Edkins bridged the 570 miles which separata tho capitals of New South Wales and A r ictona, for the greater part owr unmade _ bush tracks, in tho fast time of ICh. oomin., averaging nearly 333 miles por hour for tho trip. He knocked 2h. 7mm. oft Mr. A. V. Turner's previous record of 19h. 2min., established in May, 1913, and, remarkable to relate, beat by smin. the record of the express, which has its smooth steel rails to run upon, as against the rough roads .between Sydney and Melbourne over which the motor-car had to bump its way It has lontf been the wish of the motorist to beat tho time of the express, and at last the feat has been accomplished. Mr. Edkins came through tho rough trip without a puncture The Colour of Tires. Motorists generally have only a very vague'idea as to, whether the quality •of rubber can in any way bo judged by the colour. They are apt to associate a certain colour with a certain quality. For example, the\ average garden hose is very often red, and equally oiten of a quality which deteriorates very rapidly. This being a familiar object might easily cause prejudice against red rubber • A. very interesting statement oh the subject of colour in tires, that has recently crossed tho Atlantic, emanates from the factory manager of a rubber manufacturing company in a large -way of business,, and is valuable as throwing some light from the insido upon what has hitherto been regarded as something of a mystery. • This authority states that pure rubber a3 tapped from the tree is a creamy white' liquid. It is sometimes so coagulated as to rotain this colour, but is more often smoked, which gives it a transparent brownish tint. Before being used commercinllv, all rubber must be vulcanised with sulphur. _ If the rubber itself he pure and nothing but sulphur be introduced, the colour after vulcanisation will be grey, hut if the vulcanised rubbor be out into thin sheets and held to the light, it will be almost, transparent and of a pale brown or creamy ; colour. Any other colour than this may result from the addition of various, chemical substances introduced to impart ■ special properties, usually to toughen or improve the wearing quality of tho rubbor. may also be tho consequence of adulteration having no virtue whatever, and employed simply to cheapen the product. A pure white colour is usually produced by tho addition of oxide of zinc, which has also' been known as ono cf the best touglieners of rubber, and has consequently been used extensively for motor - tire'treads. Black is generally the consequence of the addition of lamp black or 6ome organic chemicals. Reds follow upon tho use of antimony or oxides of iron. Some time tgo most tires were grey, usually on account of the combination of lead and zinc oxide. The discovery of new materials to replace lead made possible the production of tougher white stocks. The present war has had the effect of decreasing the supply and .increasing the price nf one of these materials, namely, oxide of zinc. This oxide has increased enormously in cost, and tfrere is practically none obtainable even at its present high price. The supply of white rubbor has thus become strictly limited. Tho mere, colour of rubber, however, indicates absolutely nothing as to its quality; both tough stocks and poor-wearing stocks can be made in any colour. A tiro la an article of utility which should he compounded with the idea of service and mileage, and 1 not colour. It would ho hopelessly impossible to determine the quality of rubber by its colour, and should people insist on particular polours or combinations of colours in tires, they might ultimately have to pay n pretty high tire mileage hill for this small satisfaction. The only wise plan is to leave such questions to tho rubber manufacturers, allowing them a free hand to make the most useful and durable rubber goods possible, regardless of colour. Here and There. Lighting-up time for motor-cars and motor-cycles:—To-day, 5.52 p.m. Next Friday, 5.40 p.m. The general indication of water in petrol is persistent misfiring. . A presence of a small amount of water will cause very marked misfiring accompanied 1 by exhaust explosions. Any considerable amount will stop the engine altogether. There are various ways in which the water can get mixed with tho fuel. The tins, if previously unsealed ; may have been used to hold water, as is often carelessly done in garages, or the funnel used may not have been dry. A very clean funnel should be used, and this should have a fine gauze strainer; in fact, thte finest mesh possible. This will prevent water passing through. Of course there may bo an accumulation of condonsed moisture in the tank, and if so this should he drained off. The trap underneath the carburetter should also bo taken off frequently and cleaned if there is a tendency for water.' to collect therein. The weight of aluminium alloy pistons is, roughly speaking, one-third that, of an iron piston of tho same design. It follows that tho intertht forces due to the purely reciprocating mass, that is the piston itself, may be reduced approximately' 67 per cent, by its use. There is reduced friction and consequently a saving in lubricating oil. Should a motor overheat and a piston sieze, only in rare cases does harm to the latter result, and practically never is injury done to the cylinder. With all tnese advantages there is, however,, ono qneslton that has not yet been satisfactorily answered, viz.,- is it safe to use an oxygen decarbonising method when tho pistons are of aluminium alloy? : _ "

The total imports of motor-cars, parts, and accessories into the United Kingdom amounted for the single month of January last to no less than £802,000, against only £414,000 for tht, corresponding v month of 1915, and £768,000 for January of the previous year, which last was a pre-war month. In addition, nearly £30,000 worth of motor-cycles and accessories were imported. On the other hand tho exports of motor-cars and accessories amounted to no more than £254,000.

The days of ttesting new cars on ihb public roads in the United States a>-o past, and every manufactory worthy of the name lias its own testing yards for reproducing ordinary road conditions, and an elaborate dynamometer plant tor exact scientific testing. The yards contain test hills, sand drifts, water fords, deeply rutted mud and clay trucks, cross .drains, and, in fact, everything that goes to make up a really bad road. Methods of testing are being improved from time to time just as the actual production of the cars ia improving, and to-day it is safe to say that better machines go out than in tho' days when firms relied upon the uncertainties of the human equation for the improving of 'their cars. So thickly is the prairie at Wichita, Kansas, infested with venomous snake", that the manager of a motor speedway track, in course of construction there, lias stipulated on his pasteboard admission tickets that tho possessor thereof ('relieves the management from all liability for any iujury, including snake

bites, tho holder may sustain wliilo attending.". Repainting rims is a practice that can be recommended, as rust is very destructive to the fabric of tho covers, and, though slow, it is sure in its action. It should be done previous vo each winter. Tho rust should first be cleaned off witli a stiff brush, a wire ono preferably. But places may require treatment with emery cloth and paraffin. Any good slow drying paint is suitable, or Brunswick black may bo used. It should be allowed to become thoroughly dry before the covers arc replaced.