MOTORDOM

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 April 1927, Page 10

MOTORDOM

By

Cashmore Earl.

The credit balance at the bank, in the name of the Auckland Automobile Association, at present stands at approximately £1,600.

An engineer has invented motorskates. It is understood that he got the idea when he accidentally trod on a two-seater.

A metal motor shield has been devised which ensures that when a pedestrian is knocked down he is pushed along the road instead of being run over. It will be churlish if a pedestrian, so generously treated, complains that his fountain pen is broken.

There is a club in New York devoted to the laziest men in the world. Any attempt by a member to hurry is punishable by a fine. One day a member was seen driving his car past the club at a high rate of speed. Summoned before the committee, he excused himself by saying that he was too lazy to take his foot from the accelerator, Mr. J. J. Cullen has been appointed engineer to the Auckland Automobile Association. Under arrangements with the A.A.A. he will carry out such works as the inspection of second-hand cars, which members are considering purchasing, and also inspect the cars of members at their request. Probably a specified scale of charges will later be adopted for this sort of work, as is the case with large British and Australian motor organisations. * * * I could not love thee, dear, so much, If you owned but a Ford, But since you drive a Packard, sweet, The way I crave you—Lord! * * * The auctioneer at the sale of used cars came at last to a dilapidated affair and started in to try and work up a little enthusiasm among the bidders. “Now here’s a fine little machine,” he announced. “A little the worse for service. Who’ll say 75 to start with ?” “Five bucks,” a voice sang out. “Gentlemen! Gentlemen!” the man on the platform howled with an outraged expression. “The damn thing has gas in it!” * * * Brilliantly painted buses are running in New York, covered with such inscriptions as “Inching up leads to crashes,” “Take time,” and “avoid the guilty feeling—drive carefully.” Caution is also being taught in schools, and the New York Automobile Club has erected banners in the subways impressing on everyone the urgently important need to “Give a thought to safety.”

Before using a hack-saw blade, rub a small whetstone over any teeth that have too much set on each side of the blade. This will make the blade cut smoothly through metal, and there will be less risk of breaking any of the teeth.

With the engine at the rear instead of in the front, a new type of automobile has been developed in Germany which affords the driver a less obstructed view of the road and in warm weather contributes somewhat to his comfort, as he is not exposed to its heat. Although the engine is only 16 horse-power, it develops high speed and consumes relatively little gasoline.

If you want to ride with rain curtains up, yet need an extra amount of ventilation, as on a hot day, attach them so that the second one from the front overlaps the first, and the third overlaps the second. Plenty of air will come in through the openings without letting in the rain, unless one is driving in a downpour. In the customary way of attaching the curtains the overlapping points become airtight as the car travels faster.

The virtues of eucalyptus as a polishing medium for aluminium are well known, and the following mixture has been tried with great success. Take a half a teaspoon of finely powdered whiting, and mix with six teaspoonfuls of ordinary high-class metal polish, and one of eucalyptus. Always shake thoroughly before using, applying the mixture and polishing it off in the usual manner.

For polishing lamp reflectors of headlights there is nothing less harmful and few more effective than ordinary commercial lampblack. If the reflectors are merely dulled they may be brightened by rublilng a little of this substance on them with the aid of a piece of soft rag, and then polished. If they are more dirty than this a little lampblack moistened with water should be used first, after which the dry lampblack should be applied.

A remarkable trip from Paris to Niamey, in Nigeria, in eight days, has just been completed by Lieutenant Estienne. Hitherto it has been supposed that special cars would be necessary to cross the Sahara Desert, and caterpillar wheels and six-wheeled cars have been tried. Lieutenant Estienne, however, drove an ordinary six-horse power Renault, with which he conquered the desert. On the afternoon of January 7 he left Paris, and the following day he embarked for Oran, Algeria, and reached Niamey on the 15th. He handed the Governor a letter from Paris, which was only a week Old, whereas normally the post takes six weeks.

•?li rK rl? ris rK ?K r^ Few pepole really know how best to make use of a rug when motoring. Spread loosely over the knees it is not of very much value. The maximum benefit is obtained when each person has a separate rug, and the proper way to use it is to wrap it round the waist and legs like a skirt or long kilt before getting into the car. The backs of the legs and the stomach are then kept beautifully warm even in the coldest weather. * * * Fan bearings are the most abused bearings in the entire motor assembly. Millions of fan belts are replaced every year just through neglect. If your instruction book specifies grease for the fan bearings, then let it be grease in the quantity that is specified, and at the intervals designated. In the event that you use a high-pressure lubricating system, it is an easy matter to screw a bayonet fitting in place of the ordinary grease cup. * * * There are times when the fan belt becomes so saturated with oil and grease that the efficiency of the fan is impaired. Such a belt should be thoroughly washed in soap and water or treated with a belt dressing. Many times a slipping fan belt has been overcome by sprinkling on the belt a little powdered resin, Fuller’s earth, or even talcum powder. There should be a very slight slippage of the fan belt; a belt which is too tight is subject to undue wear. Common sense will dictate a happy medium. It is a good plan to reverse a slipping fan belt. * * * Did you ever stop to think that the bolts, lock-washers, rivets, and sundry other parts of a car scattered on the highways might have come from your car? It is important that you know the condition of the under side of your car—vibration, road stresses, and strains will play havoc unless frequently attended to. Just try a wrench on those nuts and bolts, pull them up as tight as they will go—they are the cause of many serious accidents and most of the annoying squeaks and rattles. Make sure your body bolts are securely fastened with cotter pins or lock-nuts. A- few dabs of asphaltum paint applied to the rusted spots may save you many needless delays and repair bills.

RESIGNATIONS AND WHY Recently the Automobile Association decided to celebrate the acquisition of 5,000 members—when, of course, the membership reached that figure. But the association decided to do the job properly and have the actual membership, and not one on paper which was not entered in the subscription account with the bank. As a result a number of members have been struck off the roll, and quite a number have resigned. Fifty-three of them left the club, for one reason and another, according to a list last Wednesday evening. Many of them blamed their financial position, and said they were unable to meet the subscription. A member: “I wonder if it has occurred to them to sell their cars—and continue their subscriptions. (Laughter.) One man, in denying liability, stated that his son had taken their car to the Civic Square when the association was testing lights to have this done. There was such a rush of members, that outsiders had no chance, and the son signed a membership card in the father’s name. The father denied liability for the signature, which was, of course, a forgery. The father said he could see no benefit in joining the association. A member: But he came and got his lights tested. The service officer: As a matter of fact he didn’t. There were too many other members, and some of them did not get their lights tested. A STAUNCH FELLOW “The British workman proved himself a staunch fellow at heart in 1926. He is a fine man who works with his head as well as his hands, and the employer who works with his men stands a hundred times better chance of success than does the employer who only tries to make his men work for him. Much has been said and written about Welfare’ schemes for workers. I do not believe in overdoing it. You cannot intermingle work and pleasure. Pay a man a good day’s wage for an honest day’s -work and he will soon find out how to enjoy himself properly.”—W. R. Morris, in the “Daily Mail.”

LATEST RECRUITS Although the A.A.A. is not at present paying a great deal of attention to membership campaigning there are still a large number of new members coming in, and 111 were elected at the last meeting of the council. These included: Auckland. —Adams, Ltd., H. Addis, H. V. Allender, C. N. Allpress, J. B. Allsop, Mrs. F. H. Armstrong, G. Ashworth, F. Broadbent, Miss J. W. A. Baker. Mrs. Amy Campbell, J. W. Charleton, T. G. Chamberlain, G. Coltman, Clark and Matheson, Ltd., L. C. Castleton, J. E. Davis, Dunsmuir and Co., A. A. Dunn, Dominion Motors, Ltd., F. Dewhurst, W. C. England. R. Gerrard, O. Glogoski, W. Gollop, W. F. Greenbank, C. G. Grosvenor, J. Gadd, W. F. Hall, J. M. Harre, R. M. Hathaway, A. J. Hodgson, S. B. Hopkinson, T. M. Hutton, B. B. Hooper. R. C. Johnson, C. W. Jones, P. M. Jopson, W. H. Kirkman, R. W. Kirkpatrick, E. C. Lachland, C. D. Locleer, J. S. Laing, W. E. Lewisham. Dr. K. MacCormick, A. C. Mackie, Mrs. M. Moore, P. G. Murdock, G. H. Morgan, M. McCarthy, J. J- North, J. T. Partridge, Mrs. Maud Patten, W. Peggs, A. S. Phillips, R. T. P. Philson, W. Piper, Pukemiro Collieries, Ltd., J. R. Powell, G. H. Philson. J. H. Rayner, K. J. Rennie, A. Rintoul, W. T. Rowlands, Mrs. Mabel Russell, J. C. Simmonds, A. W. Smith, J. M. Smith, L. J. Smith, W. B. Smith, J. Stewart, J. Sim, D. F. Scott, I. H. Skelton. H. N. Tindall, Tregidga, I. W. Turner, S. Vaile and Sons, R. J. Walker, W. J. Warren, H. J. White, J. F. Wilkin, W. T. H. Wright, J. J. Weir, I. J. Wilson, S. G. Wheeler, W. J. Young. Most of the remainder came from the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty areas. MOTOR BODIES During last week the Industrial Association conducted the Tariff Commission to some of the factories in Wellington. One of those visited was a motor body-building factory, producing motor bodies on standardised lines.- This factory is at present engaged on commercial bodies, but though in existence only a little over a year, has an average output of a complete body every nine working hours. It was pointed out to the commission that practically all the timber used in the production of the bodies was New Zealand-grown.

ALL WRONG, BUT— Despite the opinion of some motorists, pedestrians have rights in the highways of Pennsylvania, according to Richard C. Haldeman, president of the Pennsylvania Motor Federation. “The idea is all wrong that a pedestrian must flee wildly at the approach of any motor vehicle,” he said; “but I do not suggest pedestrians should assert their right of way, because the cemeteries contain thousands who made that mistake.” “HOG” GETS CAUGHT The way in which a certain type of motorist tears along the roads has frequently led other people to question whether the “road hog” is really accountable for his actions, states an exchange. However, the law of compensation holds good, for a certain proportion of these speed maniacs get what is coming to them. A case in point is related by a recent Wanganui visitor to Wellington. “We were approaching the Paekakariki Hill,” he said, “and saw, some distance in front, another car coming toward us. Suddenly a third car passed us from behind, going at something like 60 miles an hour. Its driver found the centre of the road again, then held on. He must have seen the approaching car. But did he pull to the side? He drove straight on, slap into the other car in a head-on collision. He must have lost his head —if he ever had one, it was a pretty mess. It served him right, but, unfortunately, the other fellow suffered, too, through no fault of his own.” WHEEL WOBBLE Exhaustive tests during the past year by the Goodyear factory at Akron have determined that “shimmying” is very largely due to underinflation of the front tyres. In some cases a slight adjustment of the wheels may be advisable, but usually it is only necessary to add a few pounds of air pressure to the tyres to remove the cause. On most cars it was found to be good practice to have as much pressure in the front tyres as in the rear. Many drivers object to this, but the experts advise them to increase the front-tyre pressure if experiencing wheel wobble. Most tyre troubles to-day, they say, are the result of under-inflation, another cause of tyre failure being misuse or maladjustment of the brakes. If the brakes are se*t so that one wheel locks and skids more readily than the others, it follows that tyre wear on that wheel will be excessive. Brakes should be examined and adjusted periodically. The tyres will be saved by avoiding sudden applications of the brakes. STARTING ON HILLS Starting on a hill involves the careful use of the hand brake, which should be eased off gradually as the clutch pedal is being released, so that the clutch picks up the load just as the brake is being freed, the engine in the meantime being revved to an extent just sufficient to prevent it from stalling. Common mistakes here are: stopping the engine by insufficiently revving or engaging the clutch too suddenly, and, worse still, allowing the car to run backwards, which may well result in a collision with a vehicle behind.

The matter of bringing a car to a standstill is another apparently simple operation but one which is frequently carried out in a very amateurish fashion. Apparently people simply will not devote half an hour to practising pulling up at the nearside kerb, so that one sees cars being left by owner-drivers with the wheels a couple of feet or more from the edge of the road, or, as often as not, the car sticking out at an angle into the roadway. In such positions it is taking up undue space, and presents a very untidy dppearance.

DANGEROUS PRACTICES A question that was raised at the last meeting of the A.A.A. Council was whether it was more dangerous to drive at a pace which might be slightly excessive, or to fail to give hand signals and to go right out round a corner on the proper side of the road. The council decided, quite correctly, that there was more trouble caused, and more accidents, by cutting corners and failing to indicate intentions, than by speeding. The council decided to approach all the local bodies, and to point out to them that it was infinitely more desirable that their inspectors should pay more attention to curbing bad road manners and foolish breaches of traffic regulations, than to concentrate on trapping, and trying to decide whether a motorist was doing a fraction over the 30 limit.

MOTOR STATISTICS For the first two months of this year, according to the Government Statistician, imports concerning motors or their subsidiaries, were as follows’:

POPULAR CAMP GROUND Though privately-owned, and subject to fees amounting to 4s per car. the Tui Glen camping ground is gaining in popularity with the motoring public. Recent improvements have included retiring rooms, a copper, and facilities for the children in the way of swings, etc. A point about the camp is that char-a-banc parties are prohibited. The owner is Mr. C. F. Brooks, and he has made a hobby of the camp, apart from its business aspect. He has placed the park at the disposal of the local motor association free of charge for runs of a charitable nature.

1926. 1927. Gals. Value. Gals. Value. £ £ Benzine . G16,752 35,060 3S0.02S 21,224 Benzoline S.840 667 8.S00 660 Gasolirfe Other 459,762 30,067 143,669 8,523 spirit • . 5,666,379 3S2.S93 7,368,783 367,206 Motor Vehicles 1926. 1927. Motor No. Value. No. Value. vehicles . . 5,202 £830,928 3,6S1 £542,120 Tyres Motor £152,614 £162,704 cycles S8S £42,030 S72 £40,762 Tyres £260 £42