MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 83, 2 January 1920, Page 9

MOTORS & MOTORING

(By "Clutch") The Olympia Show. .When the latest English flics loft, considerable interest wits being taken in the big moior-ftvr attraction—the Olympia Automobile Show. In pre-war days the Olvmnin .inhibition was the event of the - year in English motoring circles, and now after a lapso of six years, its revival was being awaited with interest, inasmuch as many new innovations wore anticipated as the result of war experiences. Chief amongst. Iho ■, hew features forecasted were:—Almost universal adoption of electric self-starters and electric lighting; construction of engine and gear-box as ono unit: increasing number of six-cylin-der models; improved springing of cantilever typo; four-wheel braking; improved coachwork; greater accessibility of all ' vulnerable parts; considerable weight reduction in chassis and'engines. New Names. 1 A feature of tbo motor trado in 1920 will bo the number of now car names before tie public (says .an English writer}. ■ This is all for the good, since it gives promise of healthy competition. . The old firms will liavo to look after their reputations with as much energy as when ihev were making names which are now known all over the world. To tho intelligent business man or mnnufnc- ■' hirer healthy competition is the salt of life, and motoring in particular feels the zest of contests as well in the factory as on the road. On the whole, perhaps it is surprising, that more of the general engineering firms have not taken up motor, manufacture, as no doubt they had heard tho usual: fairy tales .about easilymado millions in tho automobile indus."trv. The mass-production idea was toyed with bv many big engineering houses, but when the. affair came to be worked out in cold figures it was seen that there was a miehtv .difference between turning outmaterial for ft Government contract and buiklimr cars Which' had to sell upon v their merits in the open market. However, it is a, flatter for satisfaction,that wo shall seo quite a number of new fears on the road, in 1920, and some of the newcomers may bring about changes in the order of Drecedence by which the motor r ing community roughly judges the various brands. A few.of. the titles selected for the forthcoming cars are not quite felicitous/ as. for example, one French model- is styled A.S.S. The supersensitive British motorist may object to that label on Oiis vehicle. Chanqinn Gear. The art of. perfect gear, changing is one which really very few motorists ncuuire. By "perfect" is meant ft change which is accomplished at 'the right moment and without the slightest hint of grind or iaiv The.'number of gears which, are irretrievably ruined through inexpert changing is far larger- than is commonly imagined ; If tho motorist would only pause to reflect that the teeth of • two separate pinions, the sides of which are in-contact, cannot be forced into mesh without severe damage, he' would perhiivn exercise ii. little more care, and endeavour to change in such a. manner that the teeth engage without difficulty. It is an art not'.easily jtcmii'red, but it pays for the.learning, On acouirinsr a new car, it pays to spend a considerable amount of. time in practising gear-changing until one is absolutely master of the- art. It is a pleasure- to sit in the ear of such a driver and seenot hear—him slip from one speed to an- ■ other without a suggestion of sound. Itis a {iiuick to a certain extent,'but. a. knack which is only acquired by practi<e.~ Once attained, the motorist never experiences any trouble with his gears,' aid ihe saving in the wear and tear of his transmission system is great. Nowadays the oliange speed system is nearly perfect, and tho horse-rower of cars such that a chs'ise is so seldom renderp/1 no--cewsarv unless in-mountainous district;, that there is a danger that this art will become iiegiecte<l.__ What ha Dangerous Speed? '.."•' •In uivin™ direction that -a case be reheard whero a motorist whs'convicted at a local court for driving at a pace tkat 'was dangerous, Mr. Justice Hood, .of ; Melbourne, made an, interesting' comment, lie laid that the Bench decided against .the motorist because, of tlie speed at which it. was alleged .he travelled— viz., 271 nt.pih.—but, he dill not think the circumstances of'tho case had been taken into consideration. ■ In spccial'circumstances a pace of one mile per hour might be dangerous, while in other's 20 or 30 ni.n.h. .would be safe. A r erv many motorists have'been convicted of driving at a "dangerous", paco without due consideration being'- given to nil of the circumstances of tho case. It. "is tantamount to treating" the motor-. sf>V as. if lie had exceeded a fixed snsed limit where none exists; and if a limit , were imposed it does no 1 - give him jjv:-?rty \to drive i:n'to it at all times: he'must > be irnided by circumstances. . Henc,> the liserpssntss of.speed limits.. If a movnrist attain nnywhew a speed of, say, 30 m.h.p., it is prima facie evidence that the circumstances p?rmit-ed of it. The least "he desires is-to cause injury to others, to himself, or his car. and does not do it. He bears responsibility. Controllina Oil Supply, . ' A difficult problem has been that of controlliiu the' oil supply in'an automobile, motor in order to have sufficient oil under Win worst or most severe conditions, and still not too much oil when usimr but little power, or that which would be ne*ded under average running conditions of a car on good roads and with a liirht load. Continual study, has enabled the engineers of a' promjnent motor-car maker to perfect a new "iiutomatic oil control on which they have applied fo:- patents, and which is 'said to accompli-h the-following results: When'' the motor is pulling its. maxiriium load . or using its Jull horse-power, with the throttle- .wide open, the automatic oil. control provides tho mnximuni, oil pressure needed, as wdl as the necessary oil sunnlv to-maintain-.-the proper oil film under this full load' condition.. When the motor load is reduced and the throttlo closed the control automatically reduce? the oil pressure as well as the oil supply. It prevents the -piling-up of oil at, either end of the oil basin, i.e., when going tip a grade or when going down a crude. . It distributes the correct amount of oil in the oil pockets for each cylinder", -rcgwdless of the grade,, load condition, or speed. It is safd no cylin-. der is ever starved of oil or gets too much. . A Now Motor Fuel. A South American named 'Andrade, of Portuguese extraction, has invented a new motor fuel which, when; tested, appeals ' to have given promising results. It is understood that Andrade claims that by mixing'certain chemicals with pure water a liquid is produced which is capable ol providing motive power. The chemicals arc introduced in the form of powders, and minor experiments which 'have been carried out are reported to have proved very encouraging. Fmther tests have, howtver, to be made before, tho new fuel can be considered to have' established the claims of the inventor, At Nottingham, during a trial at Alderman Ball's place, on some'of the liquid being poured on to Hie ground it burned steadily and emitted no smoke. Tho smell did not recall that of pet.ol. Half a bucketful of liquid was poured into the petrol tank of Air. Ball's enr, which' travelled with perfect smoothness and at a high rate of speed. More water was added, and this seemed, if possible, rather to improvo the running of line engine. Mr. Ball says thnt the car travelled over 30' miles an hour on one gallon, and that if Andrado's assertion.) are truo a gallon can be manufactured for firepencc. llreat interest has been aroused among motor firms in the locality/ Andrade also claims that his invention will prove even more valuable for submarine craft, as no air is' necessary. . x .. time:' To-day, 7.25 p.m. Nest Friday, 7,21 p.m.