MOTORING & MOTORISTS

Evening Star, Issue 19659, 12 September 1927, Page 12

MOTORING & MOTORISTS

[BY RADIATOR.]

TIME FOR LIGHTING HP.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. ‘Big Tree Bulletin,’ fur September. FIXTURES. September. 14.—Motor cycle section monthly meeting. September 17.—Motor cycle run to. Taieri Mouth. September 28.—Motor Cycle Club night. _ ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. “ Now Model.”—No. The new Ford specifications have not been announced. HINTS AND TIPS. —Tighten Brakes Carefully.— Using the emergency brake, if it applies to the drum on the rear wheels, helps to make a service brake more effective. When external contracting brake bands heat they expand, and are less effective. Thus, if the internal expanding brakes are used (the emergency brake) the drums themselves tend to expand a little, so as to partly compensate for the expansion of the bands of the service brakes. Do not adjust the foot brakes too tightly, but allow for the brake-drum expansion. —Valve Caps and Dust Caps.— Be sure that the valve cap is screwed down tightly on every tyre valve. In case the valve inside is worn out or damaged a tight valve cap will prevent the escape of air. Thousands o? motorists operate their cars without valve caps on the valve stems, because they do not _ realise their importance. Another wise precaution is to have dust caps over all valve stems. This is another matter greatly neglected by the motoring public. Dust caps not only protect the valve stems from injury, but also add greatly to the finished appearance of the cor. —Spring for Choker Valve. A spring attached to the choker valve at the carburettor is the remedy for forgetting to push in the choker after the = engine has started. Only when cranking the engine by hand is it necessary to have the choke remain out of its own accord, and then it would he a simple matter to remove the spring temporarily. Most of the now engines require hut a few seconds of choking. THE WHITE LINE. SCIENTIFIC MARKING, Controversy in London still waxes over the white line question. One motoring writer says;— Coming back to town from the East Coast 1 passed through Colchester, and congratulated its officials as the first town in which 1 have seen the white lino scientifically arranged. In nearly every case where a white dividing line is put down for traffic safety on a sharp corner or bend, the roadway is just divided into two halves. This is so palpably stupid and nouhelpful in many cases that one is astounded to see the practice still almost universal. , , In most cases the road _ should not be divided into mathematical halves. Generally speaking, the inside curve should be allowed less width than the outside curve. . This leaves the inside traffic with all the room it needs—it would go theie in any case if properly driven—and makes the outside traffic driving as easy as the circumstances permit. _ On a normally sharp bond the inside traffic should have about 40 per cent, of the available road width, and the outside traffic about 60 per cent. Colchester is tho first town where 1 have noticed this correct application of ‘‘uncommon sense.” Incidentally, when the white lino is a half-way division, it makes the driver on the outside curve steer a course which is more difficult than oncoming traffic would dictate if there were no It is probable that the bulk of nonobservance of white-lino driving is due to this cause—tho faulty delineation ot areas.

“SULPHATED BATTERY” SCARE. -General Neglect the Prime Cause.— Scare talk of the prevalence of sulphated batteries is in the air at present (stales the ‘Motor’), lb coincides, curiously enough, with—as the dai y Press would say—the great rush of new motorists on to the roads. There are some people who evidently and it advantageous to inform motorists, ail and sundry, that it is well known every battery ” suffers from sulphation more or less. In this case fiction would seem stranger than truth, just as wo are to d that vast numbers of persons are really suffering from grave internal complaints, but are unaware of tlie tact, because normally they cannot soo_ tneir internal organs functioning. It is the same with a car battery; the inteiior is practically entirely concealed, only a portion of the top edge ot the plates being visible through the vents. ormerly, when celluloid cases were used in battery construction the condition of the plates could be seen at a glance, but as opaque material has long been used in preference to celluloid for battery cases it may be safely _ assumed that for practical purposes it is not necessary to be able to see the plates to judge tile condition of them. Actually it would ho possible to see up more than the edges of the plates, oven with transparent cases, because the plates form a sort of compact block, with separating material between. The prime cause of sulphatmg is general neglect of a battery, failure to keep it charged and not maintaining the electrolyte at the proper density. Normal and regular use of a battery is quite the best safeguard against sul■pliating, always provided that the battery does receive the small amount of intelligent routine attention due to it. Inaccessibility of the battery in a number of cases is a point to which car manufacturers have to give serious, consideration, so that car owners-can give it the occasional attention needed. The more work the battery lias to do within its capacity the bettor it is; in fact, most batteries will steadily improve up to a certain point with use. Tho tali' about sulphating being general may bo safely regarded as unfounded. CHANGING SPARK PLUGS. Most motorists have a very hazy idea as to when to change their spark plugs. These, like any other fitment, r.tart to wear out the first day of their use. Accident, aside, the legitimate wear_ is cumulative. That is to say, the intensity of the spark at the- gradually becomes less, though at first by an imperceptible leakage of current through the insulation of central electrode. It should be kept in mind that under the continued stress of from 600 to 1,500 explosions per minute, pitting of electrodes eventually impedes the free flow of the current. Carbon burns into the insulators, and will in time cause current leakage also. The accumulation of particles of ferrous matter'becomes embedded in the porcelain , and in time sets up a tiny bridge

Brief accounts of holiday trips, roads, and places of interest are invited for this column.

to tlie plug body, which robe the main supply of the electric energy required for the spark. All else being equal, the best of spark plugs should be laid aside after 10,000 to 12,000 miles of running. Better still, make a practice of fitting a new set of spark plugs once a year. If all the- connections are made bright with very fine emery cloth between the faces of the negatives, and positive electrodes to those on tho storage battery made finger tight, and tho magneto looked over and cleaned, the acceleration of the car will bo markedly increased. THE COLD MOTOR. This be my hymn of praise to the sweetest sound I know, Life’s loveliest note of music when it’s zero or below; ’Tis not tbe wood fire’s crackle nor some near cathedral chime, Tho strain of some old anthem with its harmony sublime, But a harsher, happier cadence, sharp, staccato-like, and slow— That gladsome, glorious racket when , the motor starts to go. How sweet it is to hear when arms and back are sore, And you have turned that pesky crank till you can turn no more. When you have choked and primed it, and, almost in despair, Have made up your mind to travel and leave it standing there, When vain seemed all endeavor and everything you know, How lovely is that music when the bus decides to go. You’ve tried with steaming kettle tc warm its frozen throat, You’ve grunted long and sweated to earn that glorious note, You’ve counted precious minutes flying past you as you stood And wondered if you primed once more and cranked f —perhaps it would. And then a cough of gladness that brings an end to woe— Oh, sputter of enchantment, that motor starts to go. Apollo never heard it nor all the muses nine. That glorious note of rapture which which earns this song of mine; Only my anguished brothers who own ■garages cold, And suffer wintry morning their tortures manifold, Can understand tho rapture that sets tho face aglow At the first null' asthmatic when the bus decides to go. —Edgak Guest. OTAGO MOTOR CLUB. Tho annual meeting of tho Otago Motor Club will bo hold on Tuesday, October 11. The monthly general mooting of members will be hold ou September 13, when Mr, Taylor, of the British Electrical and Engineering Company, wil lectcuro on ‘ Self-starter and Magneto.’ MOTOR TAXATION. PETROL TAX ADVOCACY. “ The land owners and the motorists are both wishful to have good roads, arid they meet on common ground,” commented Mr T. E. Crosse, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay County Council, in welcoming delegates to the North Island Motor Union Conference ut Napier. In the past, he said, the land owners made and kept the roads, and would he willing still to do so if they had tho means. They were, howover, compelled to ask the motorists to carry more of tho burden, which Increased year by year. There could bo no doubt about the fact that the motorists would benefit by additional expenditure ou the roads in tho way of safety, comfort, and reduced running costs. In all walks of life it was an accepted principle that the user paid for the use. “ Now ; ” continued Mr Crosse. “ many important road works are held up for the want of funds, and I think that tho proceeds from a petrol tax would remedy this.” Continuing, Mr Crosse felt that, should the conference pass a resolution asking the Government to impose such a tax for the purpose of road construction and maintenance, then such a resolution would be applauded by all who had a real interest in the good of the land. He went on to say that at a modest estimate of tho motor cars in tho Hawke’s Bay County and the towns therein would he 5,000, and if such cars paid the annual licence fee of £ls, which was much less than in England, the annual revenue available would be £75,000 for construction work. Under existing conditions the amount available irom motor taxation, together with subsidy out of general taxation, ho pointed out, was about £B,OOO. . CATERING FOR SPORT. INVERCARGILL VENTURE. A body known as the South Islam! Motor Sports Associatipn has been formed at Invercargill with the object of holding motor competitions on tho Oreti Beach. It is desired to hold the South Island Motor Championship in February, and cater generally for the sports clement in mot'ring. The secretary is Mr B. H. Ayling. To hundreds of motorists in the South tho new body will commend itself (states an exchange). _ Without the competitive aspect motoring organisations are not what they should bo. Auckland and Otago have known this for years and Canterbury will awake to tho full significance of competitions when it is too late. The club or association idea does not mean a meeting once a month of an executive. "TIRE” OR “TYRE.” CONTENDING VIEWS. “Tire” or “tyro”? Which way is this, one of tho commonest words in the vocabulary of motorists, to bo spelt? recently asked a contributor to 'Tho Times.’ He proceeds:— “If the adherents of ‘tyre’ are at a loss to know why others persist in writing it ‘ tire,’ they should go to tho fountain-head for all such information, the Oxford ‘ New English Dictionary,’ partly because of its acknowledged authority on phililogical matters, and partly because its articles ou ' tire ’ and ‘ tyre ’ are the latest of any. That there are two articles, and not one, shows immediately that the dictionary recognises the claim of ‘ tyre ’ to he a word apart in itself, common as the origin or ‘ tire ’ and ‘ tyre ’ is. 1 Tyre,’ says the ‘ N.E.D., 1 is; ‘A variant spelling of ‘tire,’ being used indifferently in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the 17th century ‘ tiro ’ became the settled spelling, and has so continued in U.S., but in Great Britain ‘ tyre ’ has been revived for the pneumatic tires of bicycles, carriages, and motor cars, and is also sometimes used for iron or steel tires.’ “Tho dictionary proceeds to quote passages in which ‘ tyre ’ occurs from many authors, the earliest being of the year 1796 down to tho present lay: but tho point is rather that the spelling is admittedly a revival, and ‘tiro.’ it may bo claimed is of longer descent than * tyre.’ “ Presumably, however, the justification of ‘tyre’ lies in tho now übi- ; quitous occurrence of the word, which,

until cycles and motor cars were invented, never enjoyed a large circulation. Now that tho word is on everyone’s lips, and on almost every printed page in the sense of ' tyres ’ of the pneumatic sort and not ‘tires’ of the older meaning, the innovators desire to differentiate it from its namesake. SPELLING FOR THE EYE.

“They argue cnat it is a question of convenience. Convenience once merged ‘.tyro’ and ‘tire’ into ‘tiro,’ as it merged ‘ wyre ’ and ‘ wire ’ into ‘ wire.’ the Worshipful Company of Wyredrawers notwithstanding; and tho same convenience which joined the twain together has jurisdiction to sot them asunder. For spelling and printing exist not for tho sake of the ear, but for the sake of the eye; and it is a sound principle, to which some of the deepest students of the language have given assent, not to encourage more than can bo helped the number of words which, though spelt in tho same way, have different meanings. There are already ‘ tire ’ the thing, and ‘ tire ’ the verb; why add to the duties of these four letters so arranged? “‘Tyro,’ says the ‘Tyrians,’ comes freshly and unambiguously to tho eye in rapid reading; and most eyes have to read very rapidly in these days. There are compounds, too, to he thought of; ‘ tyreless ’ and ‘ imtyred,’ it is urged, cannot convey the idea of weariness or its opposite. The eye is the gain’er by the use of ; tyre.’ ” SPRING WHEELS’. BRITISH INVENTION DESCRIBED Mr A. Dennis Milner, 13.5 c., after devoting considerable time to studying the problems of suspension, lias patenred a spring "/heel of a peculiar type, which has been fitted to a 7 h.p. Austin car in England, and is reported to have proved it to have valuable qualities. It may be recalled tlu;t the late Mr J. B. Dunlop, inventor of the Dunlop tyre, also experimented with spring wheels before turning his attention to the pneumatic tyre. The spokes of the Milner wheel consist of flat curved blades of spring steel riveted to the hub at one end, and to bridge pieces secured to a springy rim at the other end. The tyro fitted to tho springy rim is prevented from creeping or coining off sideways by lugs at the ends of the bridge pieces. The shape of tho spokes is spedally designed so that tho weight of tho car, phis small impacts with the ground, are not sufficient to deflect the spokes and rim to any appreciable extent, tho wheel remaining circular. A really violent shock, however, deflects tho rim and spokes to a marked degree. The inventor is stated by the ‘ Motor ’ to have run his Austin fitted with four such wheels many hundreds of miles with wooden blocks packed between tho axles-and frame, dispensing with road springs. Ho also drove over a selected course of three ■ miles with the road springs operative; using an instrument fitted to the front axle, which recorded every deflection of tho axle of more than half an inch from its normal position. The spring wheels are stated to have reduced tho number of such deflections to about 20 per cent, of the figure recorded with ordinary wire wheels. The inventor claims that the use of his wheels with suitable tyres would enable chassis designers to dispense entirely with road springs. This, of course, would considerably simplify transmission, steering, and brake controls, ns there would be no relative movement between the axle and the frame. The shape and number of the Milner wheel’s spokes are such that there is adequate strength to resist lateral loads and the torque produced by braking or the transmission of power, while the wheel is reasonably light and cheap to manufacture. In an account given of Iris experiments and experiences preceding the invention' of tho pneumatic tvre the late Mr J. B. Dunlop stated that ho first attempted to make a spring wheel. This, however, was not a success, as, although in some ways it gave superior results to the pneumatic tyre, if made sufficiently light to function as a spring it was not strong enough to stand the strain of 50 miles of service on the bicycle ridden by his sturdy young son, for whose benefit he was working on the problem. During tho wap, however, the Germans, unable to obtain rubber to manufacture tyres for bicycles and motor cycles, turned their attention to spring wheels, and, thanks to tho great advances in the knowledge of metallurgy since the time of Mr Dunlop’s investigations, they -were successful; but it was stated that tho wheels they used were very noisy. " They utilised a number of coiled springs between the rims and hubs of the motor cycles and bicycles. Judging from illustrations of the Milner wheel, one would expect them to be “dead,” at least when heavily loaded, as the rim and spokes show a -very considerable distortion.

PETROL. Although most people describe the spirit used in internal compustion engines as “ petrol,” the word “ petrol ” is really a trade name adopted tor the spirit distilled from petroleum by one particular firm many years ago. Petrol is really benzine, or, as it is known in America, gasolene. The manufacture of illuminating and lubricating oils from petroleum is a development of the past century, although crude petroleum oil has been known for thousands of years. It is related that ou one occasion tho great Macedonian King, Alexander the Great, was entertained by illuminating a city street in Persia by moans of a train of petroleum laid on the ground and ignited by a torch; in its asphaltic form it was employed as mortar tor tho bricks in the building of Babylon, and also by Greek and Roman architects. Crude petroleum has been burnt in India for more than 1,000 years. About seventy-five years ago the ,salo of petroleum products was practically confined to a few experimental medicinal preparations. A little later in the nineteenth century, however, tho manufacture of illuminating and lubricating oils commenced and rapidly increased. although tho lightest ot all tho distillates, now known as petrol, was for a long time regarded merely as a waste product. The advent of the internal combustion engine soon discovered a use for it, and to-day there is an ever-increasing world-wide demand for this spirit, of which the consumption in motor cars alone runs into hundreds of millions of gallons a year. The first well actually to he drilled to obtain petroleum was sunk at Oil Creek. West Pennsylvania, in 1859, by a Colonel Drake, and from then until 1875 this field was the only one in the United States. Drake, however, did not profit from his venture, and died in poverty, his fate being shared by other pioneers in tbe persons of Van Syckel. who originated the pipe line successfully for conveying petroleum products; Merrill, a chemist, who was the first successful refiner; and Shaw, a Canadian. Tim word petrol was originated by Mr F. R. Simms. ' FREAKISH DESIGN. A car of almost freakish design lias been produced by the Perl'otti Company, of Milan All tho mechanical units-— engine, gearbox, and rear axle—are carried in a special frame, which is suspended in a larger frame by a hall and socket at the front and a stud or mvot .at the rear. It is claimed Jfcbat..

this construction affords entire independence of the body and chassis, and the whole of the mechanism can be separated from tho rest of the car by disconnecting two points. The weight of the car with a four-seater body is only lOcwt, and a four-cylinder 1,500 c.c. engine is fitted. MOTOR CYCLING MAROUBRA SPEEDWAY. The first of the series of night meetings for the season is announced for the Maroubra Speedway, New South Wales, on September 10. The programme will include the Gold Helmet, a five-mile scratch race for motor cycles under 600 c.c. and a handicap for motor cycles within the same cubic capacity limit. There will be the Fast-and-furious Cup, for which the high-speed cars will compete. The first event will be a five-mile handicap. Points will be allotted on a basis which has not yet been decided upon, but the trophy will be raced for throughout the season. Speed cars over 60 m.p.h. will also have a five-mile handicap at the opening meeting. LOCAL ACTIVITIES. ’The monthly meeting of the motor cycle section of the Otago Motor Club will bo held on Wednesday, 14th, at 7.45 p.m. For some time the matter of pillion riding has been undergoing extensive testing by members of the committee, and they arc now in a position to place something definite before the meeting. On Saturday, September 17, a club run will be held to Taicri Mouth, starting from the club rooms, Moray place, at 2 p.m. T.T. RIDER’S DEATH. DOCTOR’S tONG CLIMB. How a T.T. rider lay dying for two hours on a mountain top was revealed, following' the death of J. Cooke,_ the young rider who crashed in the lightweight race. Cooke fell on the desolate road on the summit of Snaefell Mountain. The gale was so furious hero that there were no spectators. A following competitor, who nearly ran over Cooke, carried him to tho roadside, and went ou to the Bungalow, asking that a doctor be sent. There was no doctor there, so he left another message at Craig-ny-Baa. Meanwhile tho spectators at the Bungalow became incensed at the delay, and tried to get on to the course to render assistance. But the officials were fearful for their safety on tho road with racing machines roaring by, and refused to allow it. A party then set off for an ambulance, and' at last secured one, and a doctor started from Craig-ny-Baa; but he had a five-miles’ walk up the mountain before he could reach Snetell. Pie was joined by a stretcher party at tho Bungalow, by which time the crowd had become infuriated at the delay. , , .. , , . At last, after Cooke had been lying unattended for about two hours, the doctor arrived, and discovered that the base of the skull was fractured. He was carried down the mountain road on a stretcher, back to the Bungalow, and then on the mountain railway to Ramsay Hospital. . Tho cause of Cooke s crash is a mystery. It is clear that his machine turned a somersault, and it is thought that the force of the gale caused him to lose control. Neither tyre had ws a married man, and his mother and sister travelled from Liverpool to see the race. They were at his bedside when he died. MOTOR CYCLES FOR BUSINESS USE. The motor cycle when used for commercial purposes is greatly appreciated for its economy, both in first cost and in operation, it provides a very efficient means of transport for small goods and to those businesses which do a large “ over the counter ” trade where a motor delivery van is not warranted it is invaluable. The outfit, can bo accommodated where there is no room, even tor a light car. It is just as •speedy, and it can bo safely operated by an apprentice or a youth. Firms employing one or two workmen for outside jobs and repair work can effect a great saving of time by using motor transport. A sidecar combination can carry two workmen and the largest kits of tools, and if a special sidecar is fitted a 2cwt load can be handled with ease.

HERE AND THERE

“ What is a detour?” “The roughest distance between two points.”

American, movie makers buy up a lot f smashed cars for use in the shooting of smash scenes. The good car dashes to the top of the cliff, over goes one of the crocks, and then a close-up shows John Homan or Flo Flops lying prostrate at the bottom amidst the wreckage.

Should you lose a nut from your wheel on the average Continental car, try one of the nuts which hold the hood in position as a substitute—they usually, fit the._a'hcel bolts. This also applies to some American cars. The hood can be easily kept in place by a piece of wire or string.

A black cat was crossing the road with a live mouse in its month, when :t ran into the spokes of a motor cycle. The cat was killed and the driver slightly injured. The mouse escaped. This is the only known instance of a black cat bringing luck tn a mouse.

M. Chiappc. the new French Prefet de Police, holds the opinion that a practical first-hand knowledge of traffic driving should be of advantage to the pointynduty policeman. Finding that only a very small percentage of the men employed on traffic control had any experience of driving, he has instituted a motor school of instruction for them at the Prefecture. Every man employed oik traffic duty will now have to nualify as an efficient motorist and traffic driver.

Another new regulation just brought in by M. Chiappo is the obligatory fitting of engine governors on commercial motor vehicles over a certain weight limit. This only applies to vehicles used within the citv limits.

“ Car Parking Prohibited Here ” is an additional up-to-date warnin'* to be seen posted up in some of the quieter and more refined London streets. It takes its placo alongside such oldestablished notices as “ No Beggars or Hawkers,” “No Bottles,” “Music and Street Cries Prohibited.” '

There’s always a snag in every good thing. The better your brakes, the greater the danger to your rcai bumpers.

The North Inland Motor Union, at its annual meeting at Napier, decided to ask the Broadcasting Company to give out daily a message on “safety first ” principles. In moving the remit on behalf of tlio Wanganui Automobile Association. Mr F. J. Hill stated that this was only a step in the direction of a general campaign for “safety first” that the recent conference had decided upon. Such a scheme was in vogue in Melbourne, and Mr Hill was of the opinion that it might be possible to procure the same pieces of advice as were broadcasted there. * * * S; A statement has been made in England to the effect that the Austin Seven car is to bo manufactured in America to sell at £9O. It is confirmed that negotiations are proceeding for the supply of this car to the American market, but no information has been received 1 - the effect that any conclusion had been reached. Sir Herbert Austin expresses the view that the_ figure of £9O is rather on the optimistic side. The cars would have to be produced in very large numbers to render such a price possible. The novice wanted to buy a radiator thermometer which ho had noticed on another car. His inquiry ran: “Please send me one of those steam pressure gauge affairs, a sort of mascot you fit into the radiator.” . ' ft * $ $ A motorist in Mnfeking found a puff adder in his car. He killed it instead of trying to train it as a tyro pump.

To-day 6.21 Tuesday ... ... 6.22 Wednesday 6.21 Thursday ... 6.26 Friday 6.27 Saturday ... ... 6.28 Sunday 6.29