Page 5 Advertisements Column 2

Evening Star, Issue 22457, 30 September 1936, Page 5

ONTESt - read th Aorv "T *V \ \ '<* t li« r' v' (S#r "' V £*«&««$ SALOON COMPLETE WITH AIRWHEELS, BUMPERS, AND LUGGAGE COM PA R T M E N T Imported ENGLISH ALL-STEEL BODIES ASSEMBLED HERE IN NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICAN CAPE - RAND - GAPE RELIABILITY TRIAL THROUGH STORM AND FLOODS PROVES THAT THE WORLD’S FINEST LIGHT CAR IS THE GRUELLING CONTEST 2000 Miles Through Storm and Flood. For four days and nights on end competitors in the South African Cape-Rand-Cape reliability trial had to contend ■with almost every imaginable condition of road and weather as they forced their way across the African veldt —through blinding rain, thunderstorms with lightning of terrifying intensity, and cloudbursts that turned mountain streams into deep, swiftly flowing rivers, and in places almost washed the road away, leaving deep pot-holes and gullies. In this gruelling 2,000-miles contest a> stock model 1936 Hillman Minx saloon, driven by Dick Slabber and H. Zahn, gained the first prize in the Light Car Class and also the Premier Award for all Classes, thus winning the- coveted Schlessinger Trophy. Eighteen cars of well-known makes and varying horse-power started. How the sturdy 10-h.p. Hillman Minx ran to victory in this desperate trial of strength with the elements, beating cars of far higher horse-power, is best told in Dick Slabber’s own words. The following extracts are taken from his story, which appeared in a recent issue of the “Cape Argus.” “ This year’s Cape-Rand-Cape trial was' a real test for machine and man. My car drew No. 2, and was despatched' from the Grand -Parade at 5.5 on Thursday evening. The journey between Cape Town and Montagu, the first control, proved uneventful. After leaving Ladysmith we had to cross the Hex River mountains. While at Oudshoom we noticed flashes of lightning further north. We ran into a really bad storm, which continued until we reached Bloemfontein. Between Graaf-Reinet and Colesberg we had to negotiate a few more mountain passes. After leaving Middlcburg we negotiated a river in flood. In spite of the rain and greasy roads we managed to clock in at Colesberg on time just as darkness set in. All that I remember of the journey between Colesberg and Bloemfontein is rain, mud, water, lightning and trying to keep ,up to schedule. “ Between Bloemfontein and Kroonstad we missed the storm, but still ran into fine rain and had to contend with the greasy Free State roads. From Kroonstad to Johannesburg it was plain sailing. “Owing to the storm of the previous days, the section between Hopctown and Nelspoort consisted of holes, ruts and, drifts. We clocked in at Beaufort West just as dawn was breaking. Our next stop was Tonws River, where we arrived on time, and thence on to Cape Town, where we again ai> rived on time. “While travelling through the storm, mud was sprayed so thickly on the windscreen that, my codriver was compelled to travel for miles with his head out of the window and advise me'when I was approaching a bad slip or drift.” Dick Slabber and his co-driver, Zahn, arrived back at Cape Town tired out and dishevelled and with their magnificent little Hillman salpon heavily coated with mud from end to end, but with its sturdy four-cylinder engine ticking over as faultlessly as when they started out on their desperate journey. HILLMA Mr Oco. Frye, Garage, Alexandra. Elder & Tough, Roxburgh. Wm. Cook, TValpiata Oarage, Walplata. Oamaru Motors Ltd., Oamaru. John Rldgwell, Balclutha. Bell & Pringle, Ranfurly. Middlemarch Motor Coy., Middlemarch. HAIDER’S MOTORS LTD., St. Andrew Street, Dnnedln. MOTOR SALES LTD., Princes Street, Dunedin. N.Z. Distributors: TODD MOTORS LTD., Princes Street South, Dunedin, Dee and Varrow Streets, Invercargill. BIG CAR APPEARANCE -SAFETY-PERFORMANCE ; ” COM FORT- • • ROOMINESS