MOTORING NOTES.

Shannon News, 10 September 1929, Page 1

MOTORING NOTES.

HINTS FOE THE CARE OF YOUR OAR'S APPEARANCE.

Very few motorists. know how to take care of the appearance of their motor cars, according to Mr. R. Upperton, colour specialist with : General Motors Limited, who has given a few hints to motor ear owners on how to take care of a car's appearance. "A motor ear's finish must be treated intelligently if it is to retain its original lustre," declares Mr. Upperton. Traffic film, for instance, should in most cases be wiped off the, car rather 'than washed oft*. "When this is done, paradoxical as it ma"y seem, it improves the appearance. "There is a peculiar thing about traffic film, particularly in regard to its action on the pyroxylin lacquers that provide the finish for nearly ail General Motors, cars. It is important and even necessary to get it off your car as soon as your run is over. But it ]Js not a good plan to keep washing it j off. In fact, it is difficult to wash it all off. Wipe it off with a soft cloth. As a matter of experience, the film being full of minute particles of grit, acts as a g-entle abrasive for your car's finish . t and if carefully wiped away rather improves than damages it. Mud, on the other hand, should be washed off as soon as possible. Mud allowed to dry and cake is bad for the finish. "It is surprising in what good condition a motor car can be kept under ordinary conditions by a mere wiping. The grease around the wheels should be washed away with ..some .napthia soap and the top and body can bo washed from time to time with water and any good: soap. This is for lacquer finishes. If your fenders happen to be varnished be careful of soap on them except to remove oil or grease that will not come off any other way. In washing your car, plenty of water, a soft cloth and finally the chamois skin are the best. "When the top becomes discoloured from action of the sun and dust, it can be reiinished with a coat or two of good top dressing, it being a good plan to use one that is known to agree with the basic finish of your car.

"As much iiickclware around a car is ruined by overpolishing as by not polishing enough., Some nickel polishes what work fast a'hd"give'a,"'lo"vely shim are quite abrasive and even destructive. When you polish your nickel do it lightly. ' In most cases a gentle rubbing with a slightly oily cloth wiL give polish enough, and the- oil filn will protect the nickel from the action of rains and traffic film. After washing your car be sure to wipe everything off perfectly dry, particularly th( nickel parts. Water is your great enemy of nickel. Door handles an< the interior fixtures are better with out water. Most of them are usually silver plated. "There is one thing about the modern Duco finish —it is permanent. I. not only takes less time to apply than the old varnishes, but when it is on, i has become an integral part of the surface of the metal. No chemical chang-c takes place. It is there, and there t< stay with no fading and no -cracking But it is, of course, a finish of itself not a kind of varnish. One of th' things to be careful about is to kee| alcohol away from it, not a drop shouh be allowed'to touch the finish of th. car, because alcohol will cause the fin ish to become streaked or pitted. "It is also a good plan to look 01: where you are going while on the roac! This, of course, applies to any part o your car. But a little care as to tin road or the part of the road you us< will save your finish mightily. Tar for instance, is the bete noir' of th' motorist. When you have driven rapid l-ir over a tarred road, particularly i .'a is a dirt 'or gravel road, you hay iteraliy encrusted the inner surfac jf your fenders with a rich coating oi i-arrccl gravel. It is hard to get of particularly when cold, and besidtv hat some of the little tarry stones w always jump up and speck the side of vour car with particularly destructive effect on any kind of finish. "In fact, care, a temperate consideration of your car, will repay many fold in the end. This applies not only to the engine and to the tyres, but particularly to the finish. There is no reason why a good modern pyroxylin finish should not be practically permanent. It depends on who drives the car and who oversees the cleaning and washing of it after the journey is over.

MOTOR CLUB ORGANISED POR YOUNGSTERS OVER 80.

An automobile club for youngsters above 80 lias been organised by Gustav Hellormann, 91, at Hagan, Germany. Twenty foundation members joined. Several sales managers of the largest companies in America report that, without a doubt, April, May and June will be large buying months in the iXJnited States. One sales manager .said that, after a study of car buying during the last three years, he -was convinced that Christmas savings funds fostered by banks all over the country had been a great factor on the purchase of motor cars. He contended that many of those who saved their money in these funds had it transferred to a Tegular savings account at the end

of the year and then, during the spring or summer bought motor cars. To help the colour blind the American enginebirjjng, council standard usages for placing light .signals throughout the country.

It suggests that when the traffic lights are vertically arranged the red , light should -be placed at the top, the yellow light .between (if used) and the ij green light at the bottom. ■ If the 'lights are set up in a row the red should be at the left, the yellow in the middle and the green on the right. The theory is that many traffic mishaps can be thus avoided as those colour blind or unfamiliaT with colours can depend on the position of the lights.