MOTOR NOTES

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 211, 24 July 1939, Page 4

MOTOR NOTES

ROADS OF VIVID LASSES \ A. trial scetkfn of rbad which lias been laidl in Ipdia -has ns one of its most i mportant consti tiieuts m o I a sses. This has now withstood successfully two. years of heavy traffic, according to the imperial institute of Sugar Technology at Cawnpore. In a report on, this trial road, the institute states that the molasses surfacing material is perfecly liquid at tlie tiine of application, it does not melt ‘ oil the road in summer,' shows little appreciable wear from heavy traffic, and is cheaper than other preparations on the market. -- The- preparation of tlie special paving mixture consists of applying a process of resinifieation .to the molasses by adding a mixture) cf*coal tar and asphalt in the presence of an agent such- as sulphuric acid. After this lias been laid, the surface is sealed by a liquid mixture m the proportion of one pound of tlie molasses compound to one gallon of coal tar, and] it-is stated that, in countries where, there is a surplus of sugar production, tlie saving in cost is considerable by comparison with other road paving materials, such as tar macadam or concrete. HIGH SPEED ECONOMY Ail interesting experiment lias been made in France with one of England’s finest, fastest, and biggest snorting cars. The chassis is practically standard. though certain engine modifications have resulted in a higher power output while a higher back axle ratio has been fitted. One feature of the car is the highly streamlined four-seater saloon body fitted to) it. This is a beautiful piece of work, which has been constructed in France, and! the work lias been tackled properly, the streamlining applying to the front of the car, the headlamps, the mudguards, and the tinder chassis parts. A high speed demonstration run

was carried out through' France and Germany, the speedometer remaining steady on 90 m.p.h. for .miles at a time, with the standard overdrive gear in use. Although the engine is a big one, having a capacity of 44- litres, and the car itself is fairly heavy, the ear averaged no Jess than 26 miles a gallon. Later the same car was taken On to the Monti liery track near Baris, and, with full touring equipment, covered 107.418- miles in one hour. The fastest lap during the timed run was at the rate of 100! m.p.h., but an extra Jap was put in at the finish at 110.043 m.p.h. It is believed that this’is the highest observed speed ever reached by a touring saloon car. The body design is. attracting attention. It is by no means freakish or ugly; actually having beautiful lines, but* in increasing the speed and economy attention lias been concentrated on the/ usefulness of real streamlining. SPEEDY MIDGIET CARS v’ Twelve years ago it took a 1000 li.p. car to attain a world laud speed record of 203 m.p.h. Now, another British car, weighing about 16cwt., and having an engine capacity of only one-fortieth of the earlier record-breaker, has equalled the figure. ; The achievement promises to be even more important to the British motor industry than -Captain Evston's 307.0 m.p.h. last year. f Huge and enormously expensive cars suc-li as Captain Byston’s have a far less obvious relationship to everyday motoring than has Major Gardner’s little Dimlop-show 31. G., with which lie first astonished the world with a mean speed of 187.6 m.p.h. on the Dessau autobahn, near Beilin.Now. according to cable news, lie lias raised the figure to 203.7 m.p.h. for the kilometre and 203 m.p.h.' for the mile. ' Grave doubts were expressed. When the late Sir Henry Segravp set out in 1927 to achieve a land speed of 2k ) m.p.1)., whether tyres could ho built to withstand the task of carrying the huge 24-cylinder twin-engined Sunbeam car under th& enormous stresses involved. . 1 . In evolving tyres for these and subsequent higher speeds, manufacturers have made discoveries from winch benefit gradually sifts down to the everyday motorist. So it is with other equipment and components of these speed cars; and so it is that the British motor trade retains its prestige and vitality.