MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

IBy Clutch.] Prepare the Lamps for Winter. In orderto avoid muck troublo during t-lio winter tlio lamps and everything connected therewith should bo carcMly overhauled. The paraffin side and tail lamps should bo dismantled, the_ oil containers carefully washed out with paraffin, tho wicks romoved and thrown away, and tho burners soaked in a bath of paraffin for some time until all burnt oil and dirt aro eliminated. New wicks having been fitted, tlio lamps should then bo assembled after all necessary small repairs to tho body of tho "lamp have been done. The acotylono headlights should also bo overhauled, the piping boing carefully examined anil renewed wlioro necessary. It is advisable to supply entirely new burners, and the generator should: bo fully dismantled, each jiortion being cleaned with scrupulous caro, all tlio washers renewed and tho felt filter replaced. All gas connections should bo cleaned out, tho water container carefully examined, for leaks, tho needle valvo controlling tho drip removed and examined, and tho seating inspected to seo that tho water supply is cut off properly. A littlo extra time spent in the garage attending to the foregoing details will help to prevont lightless nights on the road. Testing the Alignment of Wheels. Tires aro ono of tho greatest items of upkeep in any form of motor vehiolo, -and it therefore behoves the careful owner-driver to talco as much caro of them as possible. It is not generally realised that a considerable amount of unnecessary woar is caused by tho wheels of a cyclecar or light car being out of alignment. • It is found that the tires wear out very quickly, and the manufacturer is usually blamed for this, when, as a matter of fact, ho is not at all responsible. and tho tires may bo up to the usual standard. Tlio\ front wheels may have b'een set out of track by moans of a very slight accident, such as striking tho kerb, and there is no ncod to drive with badly-aligned wheels further than necessary, is there is a very simplo method of ascertaining whether tho wheels of t a small car aro out of track or otherwise. Tlio apparatus necessary consists of two strips of wood, two pieces of string, and two household chairs. Two strips of wood about sft. long aTO takon, and near cach end a holo is drilled, caro being taken that tlio distance between the holes in each strip is exactly tho same. Tho strips aro then connected by two pieces of string about 2ft. longer than ,-tlio overall length of the car, care being also taken that tlio strings aro of exactly tho same length. A chair is placed in front of tlio ear and to tho rear thereof, and two strips of wood aro arranged across tho qhnir, so that tho strings; lip on either sido of tho car. Tlio chnirs aro then adjusted until one of the strings is ps™iel to 0110 rear wheel of the car, which is found by measuring_ tho distance' from the strings .to the rim on opposito sides of its circumference. ■ When the strings have been thus adjusted, tho front wheels should Eo set so that the two wheels on ono sido aro parallel with tho string. On passing round to the other sido the car and measuring tho distance between the 'rim and the other string, it will bo seen whethor tho wheels are in line or not. It is easily found jf the front wheels aro out of track, while they can he adjusted by lengthening or shortening the connecting rod. ■ ■ It is sometimes tho case that while ono back wheel is parallel with the string, tho other is not. and the cause is either a font axle,-which is most unusual, or an incorrectly-adjusted radius ' rod.

Here and Thero. ■ aro ]io\v in hand in codneotion with tlio foHhcommg Mortlake motor-cyclo patriotic carnival. The Victorian Motor-cjclo Club, nndor whoso allspices tlio carnival will •bo licld, anticipate big ontries, and a repetition of last year's success. Tlio principal attraction will • bo tlio 200 miles handicap ra'co aronnd the Mortlalto circuit (33-jr miles), open to all riders on all powers of machines. Tins event is set down for decision on Easter Monday, April 9. On Good Friday a reliability trial will be held from Melbourne to Mortlake, a distance of about 149 miles. This will bo folowed by a 68 miles motor-oyolo side-car race on Easter Monday. Tho latter event is expectcd to prove ono of tlie most interesting of tho scries, inasmuch as this combination is becoming very •popular on Australian roads. There will be no restriction _in this liandicap race, excepting all sidecars must bo strictly standard touring outfits, with speed gear as per catalogue. Tho first prizo lor the promior contest, the "200," is tlio Dunlop Cup. It is anticipated tliat world' 1 s road records established last year, viz., 100 miles in Ihr. 37min., by H. Parsons and 200 niiles'in 31ir. 40min. 42sec., by N. ■ H. Duckett will (granted good weather conditions) again bo beaten. , A company has been formed in America with a capital of £1,000,000 for tho purpose of building aeroplanes An American motor-horn house advertised a cash prizo for the most suitable name for their road-warning device. Out of 4300 names suNnittcd, tho most appropriate was deemed the "Warnola," and it was awarded the prizo. v It is stated by tlio "AYeokly Dispatch" (England) that a new standardised British car is to be put on tlio market, and that tlio car has actually been designed, mado and thoroughly tested, tho result being completely satisfactory. Tho Government liavo been so much impressed with tho new production that thoy have given a preliminary contract for cars, Bie cost of which will run into seven figures. The necessary capital has been raised, and a privato company floated, which will, for tho present, bo. wholly occupied in supplying military needs. There should be a vast demand for a Britishmade car of good quality at a really low price, and there is no reason why such a caT could not bo produced in tho United Kingdom, provided the output is sufficient to enable automatic machinery to bo utilised to tho very best advantage.