MOTORS AND MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTORING

" (By "Clutch.") Overhead Valves, ■ . A marked tendency at the recent New York motor, show—tha first held in the United States.since that country entered the war—was the Vidfir, adoption of overhead valves, one firm only having reverted to the L type of engine. In advancing a. reason fo: , the increasing popularity of overhead valves, an expert, pointed out that the type provides an engine of greater volume-trie efficiency, and therefore results in economy in running costs. It should not be imagined that this economy ia duo merely to a'saving"in fuel consumption, but to the fact that tho overhead valve, in conjunction with the higher speed engines now beintt used in America, allows a given power to be doveloped in an engine of smaller dimensions than formerly. A email engine means one of less wejght, and oonseciuontly a lighter chassis generally, and it is: not altogether tinreasonablo to'as-' siiine, therefore, that"■: ft manufacturer, after adopting overhead: valves, can show that the runninj; costs of his cars have been reduced. But the adoption of overhead valves is usually accompanied by other variations from the older design. Motor Imports,. ' Themotoring correspondent of thq. Sydney Sunday Times" comments, indignantly upon statements made a<- a meeting of tno Auckland Chamber of Commerce a few-weeks ago that. 800 cars had arrived ia one.steamer for Mew Zealand and Australia, and that sinco January cars had arrived in New Zealand at the rate-of 22 a day, including Sundays." Both statementa," the correspondent declares, "are absurd; ■ Motor agents throughout tlie Commonwealth and New Zealand only wieh that an occasional eteumer brought as many as 900 cars at a time. There f s, bo far as the Commonwealth is concerned, a great shortage of cars, and a tew months ahead it will be. felt by.buyers as well as those handling tho cau. One speaker at the Auckland Chamber. of Commerce said that 'it was- criminal for motor-caTs to bo imported to this extent at a time when cargo 6paoe should be occupied by | essential. goods.'. . Why .criminal? The motor-car -is an absolute necessity in New Zealand just as it is throughout the ! Commonwealth. I'or the.benolt of the j, members of the Chamber' of Commerce j at Auckland, it may be mentioned that iiotmoro than 10 per cent, of' the cars purchased in the ' Commonwealth are used.purely .for. pleasure. It is the man on the land outback who requires tlie motor more-than those in.tno city: - In ft? scattßred country, districts ?t- cannot be done without- nowadays." the.Differential. : . ...'''. . There are many expert motorists who believo that iho diil'orentinl can bo dispensed with; that-it wouideiitiiil no greater wear on the' Xyrts, nnd that no (litterenco would- be noticeable in ijie steering.--- So'■ osperieuc'id an authprHj as Ifr. K. J. Mecrudy, editor of tho "-Irish Motorist,"■ said. that when'driying' a. car eo h , ttedj thorp was 'nothing''to lndiciito tho.alM'encp of the. differential, nor , had he fouud .any trouble ;on. curves' or cor- ': ners, whilo tiierowas no cridonce ot side- ' slip 911 greasy surfaces. ■'There! is, .'.iiu ; doubt, (i certain.amount of.'drag in tak-ing-corners, 'which may have an'appropiablo.efrect on; the wear .of tyres, but • there, is" a coiintorbaliincing .advantage. ' Cars. wJiiqh have the .diAerejitialare-sul)- ' jc'ct to similar tyre wear, aiid'possibly ' to a.gTeater extent. All cars"aro nibrq I or.less "jumpy", on a i'ojigh. road,'and ' when a bump .or pot-hole is encountered, j one or both "rear wheels aro apt tempos arily to Jo.se contnct with Hip rjoad, and ' during ..that brief period consequently ' accelerate, and regajii tho road at' higher ' speed, which must "tosuK:" iii abrasion' to ! tho tread of the tyre! ' In {ho mnjority of cases, however, only'bne back , 'wheel j loses contact; in-which case its fate of t acceleration is faster than if the two ] were released From' road , .friction. TJr. 1 Sfecredy does not think that tyro wear is 1 greater without-than yith differential. j

.Alotorists. , . Protoctioh flssopiation. ' When flio.last mair jpft Epndbn '.ilifevd was a proposal, afoot' to form W Motorists' Protection Association, a souiid business orgilnisa'tion to protect tho interests' of all priyato motorists. Tho policy of the proposed association is: .1. To combat tho anti-motor prejudice of "a large section' of thu public Proas and tho public clamour resulting, therefrom. ■.•■•". -..•"• 2. To resist eicfssive taxation. !t. To fight tlio 'petrol .trusts or othor rings or soointius which are "up against" tho interests of private motorists generally. ■ :- : \ . . ■.'■•■ ■1. To take prompt action against tho suppression of private -utility motoring. 5. To prevent tlio imposition of unreasonable\rostrictibns in. the future, G. .To-urge the' Government to utilise the revenue derived from motor taxes for legitimate purpose—tho improvement of roads. ITiis short and businoss-like programme is merely offered as uu outline, of what is proposed. Great enjpliasis is laid on the fact that the organisation is a purely business one. ..It.has no social'side or aspirations, jip .roadside ealutee,. or any needles trimmings. ..'lt is simply aild solely for the. benefit- of , .motorists as motorists. . Here and There, The matter of a. .suitable denaturant for alcohol, that is inteudeu for motor fuel is one of tho difficulties that long had been raised against tho more general adoption of the spirit, but if is interesting to. note that the United States Commissioner of Internal Kevonues recently made a ruling respecting a certain formula for the denaturation of alcohol (for use as a motor fuel or petrol substitute, in large ifuniitities in tho Hawaiian Islands from a refuse material hitherto going to waste in large quantities). It is stated Hint-the use of tho denaturant will most with no official objection. Tho authorised formula is 'us follows:—To each 100 gallons of ethylalcohol add 5 gallons sulphuric ether, 2 gallons benzine, and 1 gallon pyridine. Some people believe, according to an exchange, that unimpeded exhaust increases tho power of the engine and keeps it cooler. As a matter of fact, it doia neither'to any appreciable extent, and therefore no excuse exists f,M theopen exhaust. Moreover,. it is prejudicial to the best interests of antoiriobilism. Lighting-up. time:—Today, 5.G p.m. Next Friday; 1.57 p.m.