MOTORS & MOTORING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 29, 29 October 1920, Page 2

MOTORS & MOTORING

(Ey "Cluta \")

Taxi-owners' Conference, The first Dominion Conference of Taxiowners' Associations is to „be held at Wellington on "Wednesday next, when .representatives from j/'ipier, Christehureh, Duiiediu, and Invercargill will bo present. Various matters of mi parlance will be discussed, and it is expected that, delegates will wait upon/the l rime Minister on the following day- iu connection with subjects of vital interest to the industry ami- to the Government in its policy, in dealing with these matters. Understanding that the Jiew Zealand 1 Automobile Union has approachcd tlie Government suggesting tliat a tyre tax; be instituted to create n l'und for tho\ formation and improvement of roads, tho Wellington Taxi-owners' Association has forwarded a letter to the Prime Minister protesting against the tax, it will be a further burden on the taxi J " owiiers throughout the Dominion. It is pointed out by the committee that the income from, the industry is_controlled : by another party, i.e., the local bodiw, as settling l the fares to be charged. The ■ letter adds:—"We are not', therefore, in .a position to pass the extra charges on as are other businesses. we are individually the heaviest users of tyres in New Zealand, and our'expense is at present increasing at an alarming rate,'owing to the increased charges for petrol and all accessories. Wo should like ,to .state that- the taxi business is .established'as a business, and as suph should not have to bear burdens" which should be placed oil the shoulder's of those persons who own motors which are used for pleasure only." The committee recognises' the necessity for a constructive policy regarding roads throughout the Dominion, but requests that any action regarding the proposed tax be withheld until after the Dominion conference of taxi-owners. ■ Aluminium Motor-Cars. It is not speaking' very well for the ■motoring industry to say'that it has had the opportunity lo use aluminium alloys for many years past and has not availed itself of the numerous advantages of il, especially its lightness in weight,. Automobiles aro wasteful of fuel, oil, ,nnd tyres, and cost-so much to keep in repair because the cars are admittedly too heavy. Aluminium is, perhaps, the lightest metal we havc> lind .its alloys are not only lighter than most nielals but equally as strong, and in uiauy cases--stronger. Aluminium is easy t<j machine, it does not rust like iron or steel, ib'takes.paint easier and it- looks better. It is a great 1 conductor of heat and thus runs cooler than other parts. -Imagine ani aluminium car—aluminium wheels, aluminium body, engine, and dczens- of other, parts mado of this material. Tliero is.such a. car in existence, and its weight is so low that ife fuel consumption is something like liftv mile's per gallon, and it runs about '1200 -miles 011 a gallon of oil, while the repair ccst has'been one-third of that of rtii ordinary vehicle of to-day. It is possible bv the use of aluminium to get. a large car, which weighs considerably, less than a smaller one of other materials', 'and"luive that larger car perform better than the smaller and be more-economical. This call bo done by the proper use of aluminium and scientific design, by getting the sprung and unsprung weights correct and by getting tho correct spring suspension. Keep Spring Clips Tight, • Spring clips should be inspected at least once-a week and- tightened as much a* possible. If the clips become loose, the spring will, break between the clip®. If there is-undue stretching of the clips, tho difficulty might be overcome by having new clips mado of better matciiali ! as it is -always cheaper to replace chps which are too light than to have broken ! springs as a result. The bearing place upon which the spring rests on the axle should- absolutely conform to the curvature of tho spring at that point, as su hcient bearing surface is just no nupoitant as tight'spring clips. Keeping the Car New f - . .The ■present day owner,, usiii" modern methods, may keep bis car looking new ail tho time, nor will he ha\e to spenu more than n few minutes a day to accomplish this end. rhere.mo on tho market a number of liquid and wax polis'hes, which will-give admirabte voMilts, if they are used as < lue^ e d. In the use of wax polishes the fii=t step is thoroughly to clean the body of tho car. The polish is applied to tho, surface with a piece cf cheesecloth- and then another clean cloth is used to distribute the wax evenly all over the sur< face. The polish will last for from four davs to a week, and after 1. has been applied at the beginning of the week, a •little-rubbing with a clean cloth will bring cut the lustre again. Ihe ,wax • polish-may be used for hotly, tenders, mod- and other lustrous surfaces, and it will also be found that the under side of tho fenders arec eaned-and„ un a gocd:coating of wax, less mud will bo deposited and what there is may be easilj removed. The present day owner must rot-assume that these, really useful aula to beautifying the motor-caf have supei-. <eded plain water. The contrary istrue. The car-must be washed just as . "rlv after which the polishes do bring olit the lustre of the osiina. finish. Lubricating Springs, - • It is a custom in one of the larges repair shops i# the world to übneate Jnd preserve the chassis springs of motor-cars whenever they are dissembled for an overhaul b> S with a mixture of graphite and cylinder oil.' This mixture-prevents Jie accumulation of rust between the leave', and improves the Tiding qualities enriwrs. The mixture is- prepared by simply, mixing powdered or flaked graphite' with cylinder oil to a pasty Consistency;- and it w applied Jv-itli any suitable paint brush. Another method is to glaze the working sin faces of the spring blades with beeswax shavings, which is a cleaner job and lasts . a long.time. . Motor-Cycle Brakes. The front wheel brake on a motor evi'le where of the rim type, i.e., acting on the wheel rim, is, in the opinion of many practical riders, of >eiy httio real use as a means of retarding the urcress of the machine, it is hUed, but not relied upon, to play any very important 4»rt in controlling movement; it is merely a means ot coijlormmg with the legal requirements in some places. There is a growing preference for the 1 system which provides dual brakes oil the driving wheel, and although, admittedly, a better class ot front wheel mechanism than the rim brake can, and indeed has been, evolved and applied, all perhaps are agreed that sudden applications of « powerful ana efficient brake on tho steering wheel is undesirable. It throws a strain oji tho head column, and in certain circumstances may set up distinctly unsale conditions for the rider. Some makers are now inclined to favour the p an ot filling two independently-acting brakes on the rear wheel. One disadvantage may possibly arise, namely, where in the side-car combination, a spare wheel is carried and all wheels arc interchangeable, but if tho V-rim brake be avoided, this need not hinder matters much if at all. Looseness of Tread. Trouble is often experienced in getting Ihe tread to stick <m small tyre repairs. This may be di?« to any One of several reasons, the nijyt comma". of which is that the cement has been applied over wet fabric. Tho moisture in the fabric, oven if very slight, will blow tho tread loo°e. Another common cause for loose treads is the failure to ,oughcn up tho old carcass sufficiently.' In this case tho content will not hold properly, and after » few miles of running the repair will separate.' It is also well to make 6uro that proper pressure is being applied to the repair when it is curing, so that the patch will' be thoroughly embedded m Ihe t.vre. liighting-up time:—To-day, 6.28 p.m. Next Friday, G.3G p.m. Tears and l.iunhtcr, laughter and tears, -And mostly Ihe tears are mirth; For 8up?) is the soul of an Irish song Or a singer of Irish birth. The tears arc Ihe tears of ecstasy, Aiui the huishtev is tiapnincfs pure, While the voice of a conch but seems lo be, "Give me Woods' • Great Penpermi*# Gurel"—AdvL