Making The Most Of Motoring

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 69, 2 September 1965, Page 9

Making The Most Of Motoring

Something seldom seen e on motor-cars these days are the old fashioned luggage carriers. Yet how 1 often do we see their more modern counterpart, the roof rack, used to %/$>use a car, overloading - the engine, making steering difficult and, at times, imposing a dangerously high centre of gravity. The annual Chrfstmas vacation is just around the corner and once again mot- - orists will he taking to the road with extra loads on their cars. There are some simple rules to be applied to roof racks which help make life a little easier. ..First, avoid making the load too high. The wind resistance set up by a pile of suitcases and jutting out rolls of tent or bedding will increase petrol consumption by up to a third. Secondly, if it is neces- - sary to cover the load to protect it from the weather, make sure the canvas goes _ right round or is tucked in securely underneath the toottom of the cases. Ballooning canvas can impose as

much of a drag as a para- 1 chute. Make sure no loose ends are left to flap in the breeze. Finally, ensure the load is well tied down or you could dump it in the path of an approaching vehiele. While on the subject of* the summer vacations, give a thought to the load you expect your car to pull if you are one of the many happy caravanners who flock to the beaches at Christmas. Modern cars of unitary construction are not able to withs tand longitudinal stressing in the same fashion as the older types with a U section chassis. Caravans impose a train on bodies, differentials, gear-boxes, clutches and engines — to say nothing of the extra wear and tear on steering and tyres. So if yon own a smallish modern car, choose yonr caravan with care; seek the advice of the dealer of your particular make if at all in I doubt.

And once on the road, ease the load on your vehiele by avoiding heavy pulling in top gear, sudden stops and starts and speeds which tend to make the caravan steer the car rather than the other way round. When car door locks become stiff and hard to work, it pays to go to the trouble of removing the inside trim and dabbing grease on the mechanism inside. This applies particularly to the modern sill-type locks which are often not lubricated on assembly and soon tend to jam up. Gone are the days when almost any spark plug would suit any engine in the majority of cars. Many manufacturers today design a special plug for one make and model of car and it is almost imperative to use the recommended type, Typical would be plugs specially made for Valiants and Falcons (KLG FE45P and MT55P). Other manu-

facturers make plugs for use in a specific engine, too, and it pays to make sure you get the right sort for your model. Most cars made in the last few years are either dipped or plated in the places where metal parts are cover ed and subject to rust or rain or condensation. But still we see rust spots developing along the bottom of doors and along

the edges of boots. This can easily be prevented if care is taken to clean out the holes in the bottom of doors and boots placed there by the manufacturers to make sure the water drains away. If your car lacks this refinement, it would only be a matter of minutes to either have your garage or you yourself drill two or three eighth-inch holes in the appropriate places. A recent hook by Pat Moss and Erik Carlsson, two of the world's top rally drivers, gives a tip on making door catches safer for children. The best we have been able to do in the past has been to reverse the handles on the rear doors so that they are lifted up to open the door. This at least prevents accidental opening of a door if a child leans or falls against it. But Mr and Mrs Carlsson suggest fitting small, household door knobs which children find difficult to turn. They could be an added danger in a crash, though prob-

ably no worse than the original knob. Incidentally, the Carlsson's book, "The Art and Technique of Driving" is something which should be compulsory for drivers of all ages. Nearly everyone who has read it has admitted they have learnt a lot from it — including becoming aware of a number of bad habits they did not realise they had acquired over the years.

-N.Z.C.N.A.

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