MOTORS AND MOTOKING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 9

MOTORS AND MOTOKING

(By : "Crutch.")-

Wood and Metal Wheels. In Miirope'anu , America, and iir most countries where the .motor-car is in evidence,: irrespective-.of. cliniatp,, the use of wooden-wheels, and-their reliability is as well'established as ever,-even for tho heaviest commercial transport. Nevertheless/ eveif'prior to tho 1 war, tho use of nil metal wheels of various patterns, was extending; vapidly; not leaet because of the -easier combination of the type with some- sort of detachable rim-forma-tioti that naturally facilitated tyre changing. The experience -of the }var, too, in that respect, has confirmed-the; value -of the metal wheel as a type, but it does iiot appear to have established any marked superiority over the wooden wheel, as claimed. . None the less interesting is the new type of detachable disc wheel built by an Italian firm: Tho distinctive feature is that two comparatively thin discs are used instead of a single thick , one; the-, claim .heins that.adequate strength is obtained without the extreme rigidity, of the single disc. - At ;any. rate, it appears that in the hands of the test-fersi;thU.--whepL survived treatment -thatactually broke the axles.

Six-Cylinder Light Cars. "Wβ have,' of course, "known'for "a long time past that various,. concerns ...were experimenting with six-cylirider engines, , under 1500 c.c, for post-war models. Most of { these; expea'imentsr-there were about six different engines all told— have-not :led ;to- very: satisfactory results, but by no means all. These engines which have been tried out' have., given' astonishing results jn.;- one- direction-, -viz., flexibility, but have' proved exceedingly heavy on petrol. There seems little doubt, however, 1 that" , a development of the ,, light'car on'the most luxurious'lines,' with a six-cylinder light car engine of astonishing power, for its size, will,take place. There is that there will be a good demand for'siich a type, but whether-it .would pay-: the manufacturers to concentrate- upon'such, an engine is another matter. .'"Otir'owii , view , is 'that •the- chief, demand .-ivill.-be-for-ia-light; carOf'about the. size and price of,tho types that Svere moat-popular -just"before the wnr, nnd provided with foiir : cyliii'lef. power, unitei— "Light Car."

British Prospects, Mr. S.; F. Edge, one of the leading motoring experts of England, and a man whose opinion■ciirfies'considera'ljle weight in English motoring circles, tenders the following advice to -tho. automobile niiiiiu-, facturors b'f ■ Groat'.'.Britain i—, If' the British.''.motor; waiiufacturer; means . to. ha.vba' fair eHare pt'.'the' atfef-war. "miiket, 'he. must iii leyery. I 'case..build, the very, b'est car lie !'.'ca'n conceive'...."..lie must aiiVi. .Irish.; 'He must forget ijiiu'e; in' lii's car, .and'.iiiust_ loot ;to' simple 'design'-' , and numerous' iiroctiictioii to enable him to put a really goqil cariiv : front 1 of"'a 'really Mg -public -'at''-a/really attrattiVe-figure;---'!!' 'he 'cannot;'- .ol , ''v-'ill. not, do this', he is wasting money -and tiniQ by contiuuing-in tho motor tvade 'after.tlio yi'tw." •■ ■ ■ .;• .- <■ ■ ■' :■■ Here and There. , .' , ... '". •. -A writer in-Uie : '''JJi{, r ht-Ciir' , '<iffejs;'tlie ! following hints on stopping a car:—The throttle -pedjil .'or- accelerator- should he released- and the car allowed to iun en. It ehould.Jje;.brought.Jo:.a jotaii.lstil.l at 'the desired -place with' the ■''aesiii£'iiii';e.-.qf the brake. The clu.'ch should be ' disei.gagej, and the gear lever brought to th'» '-neutral",position, vhen,- of- coirse, tne clutch may be engaged again v iiliouc transmitting any power. Jn t!io engiii'e,' it is 'a:'g6odvpla'n U> ojieivtlio throttle so as to accelerate the eng: , !-', and while running "fast to switch off tho liiu'gneto with flit throttle still \vul> epe-n. Owniß---; to , ; tho- momentum of the liy.-wht'cl;,' g.is is then ,-iicked into, tho eng.no after tl:a sparking is cut off, with lue resut thai.tthe■ cyl'm-'ors are left iiill.-of'.iiiit,' ■tliiw 'facilitating,, re-starting. . Hef.irc lcayinj -thej.(-n-r the sitle-bralco' si/imld- I'O; put. in. ;■-"■ " ; \.'\""} '■'■" ~ ':.''■.' \\

-.Evening and -Sul.'u'day cfternoon r'.aSses have been Mailed by..a rqptfli*.n.r-iiicy in , Chicago with the idea "of owners in'adjiMtinente and-nimiiiig-.-vi'-' ' pairs of the particular make of car ecild bj tho agency.

. It is stntcd- : that 'motor, vdi'cies '.in America covey-'•60,000,000,000 miles per annum,' ngainst 35,000,000,000 passenger miles run by the railways in'-'tnat- country.

It-is often useful in case of-doubt, says an English, .writer, to be able ,to. check the condition of the' ,, conibustibn of the : charge in the cylinders by direct observation. A very rough method is simply to w.atch t,he exhaiisj;.. pipe,, where, if . an' over-rich .niixtii.r.o. is, beihg'.' supplied. by '.t.lip cai;bu.i:ettoij' blnckish .and ,a distinc.tiye'. smell" of lialf-biirnt'.' petrol will usiialiy . be, in', ;pyidencei. ' .This smoke, nnist' -be'! distinguished froni'tliebhVe'.oy grey smoke., caused b,) ; ; (.'xcees r of 'lubrication,'' buf here again .the ; power'of smell \vjir..iissjst;-' for. .the." rich™' oily' 'qdoiir. , is. urinii|takable. ;\..tt."is not, ; advisitble; 'hoii'eyer, to breathe,'.;m'ucli...6f the'exhnust,- for''the cai'bonrp6h(ixide,..bf • which it is largely composed,' is' very poisonous. . . , .. . , ; , Lighting-up' time:—To-day, 6.48 p.m. Next Friday, '6.57 'pjn. . ■ v ■'