FREE-WHEELING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 380, 15 November 1932, Page 2

FREE-WHEELING

Many British cars for 1933 will he fitted with free-wheeling devices in the transmission of the general type, which has been applied to practieally all American cars in the last two years. The history of -the free-wheel for motor cars is interesting. It was first invented in Great Britain about seven years ago, ^nd oifered as an optional fitting on several makes of British cars two years later. One or two Continental car manufacturers also perfected a eommercial form of automobile free-wheel. For some reason British and European motorists at that time did not appcreciate the device, and nothing more was heard of it until late in 1929, when one or two American, car manufacturers be- | gan experiments with it. In the United State the free-wheel ga'ined immediate | popularity. Now American cars fitted with free-wheeling transmissions have proved suceessful in Great Britain, and are competing with British cars in overseas markets. . Many British makers will therefore offer free-wheql transmissions on their t cars for • the coming year, and it is expected that th'e, British motor show at Olympia will eontain many interesting exam,ples of this device.