THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 301, 29 May 1915, Page 3

THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

NEWS AND NOTES. The owner of a car, .which he liad recently taken to pieces, took, it to a garage to have an extraordinary condition of affairs examined into. lie found that the car had three reverse speeds and only one forward speed. On dismounting tho back axle, it was discovered that the owner, after dismantling it, had replaced it upside down! Strange things can happen when a novice takes down a motor-car for an overhaul.

An important long-distance motorcycle contest, known as the Venice race, was recently decided on a three xniles circuit at Los Angeles (California). The distance was 301 miles, which was covered by the winner (O. Walker) in t!m fast time of 4 hours 24 minutes 17 2-5 seconds, equal to an average speed of C!i miles per hour. The victor's time would have been considerably faster had he not lost 3min. 2.)?ec. changing sparking plugs and 2min 20sec. in stopping twice for petrol and oil. His mount was a twin Harley-Davidson. Walker only won by 15sec.

Motor-cycle builders have learnt a lot from cycle-makers, and there are one or two details in which makers of pedal-cycles might reciprocate by taking a leaf out of the motor-cycle man's book. Quito a few motor cycles are not fitted with pin-axles, which enable the rider to remove the wheels almost instantaneously. Several variations of this device are available, and it is not complicated to make or use. In France all the ipad-racing cycles are so constructed', and the arrangement is greatly appreciated, The wonder is that this fitment is not made standard all the world over, for the additional cost would not be much and well worth paying for, considering the ease with which the back wheel can be removed from the frame without even the necessity of using a spanner.

It is very necessary, says the Dunlop Rubber Co., that careful and frequent examination sjiould be made of one's tyres for small cuts and so forth during tiie winter months. If these cuts extend at all deeply beyond tho surface, and, in fact, get suspiciously near the canvas, the hole should at once be plugged with rubber stopping. Unless the cuts are stopped, a weak spot in a tyre will sooner or later develop close to them. Water enters through tiie cut, attacks the canvas and causes rotting, so that a small weak spot is developed in the tyre. If an examination be made of burst tyres, very frequently it will be found that the burst has started from a small cut which has permitted water to rot the canvas. Its presence can be detected along the breakage line of the fabric because the ends of the fabric where the cut is caused are comparatively clean cut, wdiereas when the burst has ocjcurrcd the ends of the strands of the fabric are frayed.

It is somewhat extraordinary, says the Autocar (England), that when so much is being said about the central position of change-speed gear and brake levers, nothing can be adduced in favor of central steering. By "central steering" we mean the placing of the steering wheel, as well as the control pedals, in the middle of the car, the steering column and pedals being, central and the 'levers at a convenient distance away from the centre for the right hand of the driver to operate, them. The driver would; of course, be seated centrally also, and on each side of liini there would be a passenger seat. It is still more strange that, even .on big public service vehicles, such as motor omnibuses, the driver and the control are placed eccentrically, but it is, perhaps, even more extraordinary that this should be the case in vehicles such as motor char-a-bancs, in which three or four people occupy the front seat besides tho drivur. There is no doubt whatever that central steering is better than side steering so far as judging distance is concerned this applying to driving up to the kerb or meeting or passing other vehicles, but there are quite a number of factors which may also be introduced in its favor as well as certain points against it. Perhaps the strongest argument for it is in the faet that a centrally-controlled car is suitable for use in any part of the world, as, whether the rule of the road bo to keep to the left or to the right, it is just as good for either. Then again, many cars are made to seat three people on the front seat, and this is particularly the case with very large cars, and also with ears which are made to seat three persons only. As an instance of the small thrce-scatcr, we may mention the Phoenix, while, as an indirect instance of the large car, we friight cite the Lanchestor, which is amply wide enough for three, but only carries two because the central seating, portion is occupied by the engine and carburetter. However, on almost any large car there is ample room for three on the front seat. Another point in favor of central steering is in regard to atmospheric resistance. The present practice of making the car taper gradually from a narrow front to a wide back, smart as it is in appearance, is really wrong; it is far more correct that the widest part of the car should be at or about the centre; that is to say, five-seated cars should ratlier seat three in front and two behind than the

conventional two in front and three behind. The taper bonnet and daeli- , board readily lend themselves to wide i front seats, as the present contour of both necessitates a wide rear end to the bonnet, so that on very large cars, at any rate, the transition to the threeseated front would not be difficult. Another very strong argument in favor of the central position is that if a car were running light with the driver only on board, his weight would lie central and properly distributed, not being, as is now the case, all on one side, and that, too, on the side which is necessarily the heavier loaded, as practically all ears are heavier on the right than on the .left. Some years ago a car so designed was made in England for taxicab work, but as it did not comply with the authorities' specification it was turned down.

A travelling motor bathroom for the British Army is one of the latest uses that the motor-car is being put to in Europe. Owing to the dilliculty of obtaining fairly frequent baths, the soldiers have to put up with very serious discomforts. Particularly in the case of wounded men removed from the trenches, it is often diflicult for proper medical attention to be given promptly without washing facilities being first I made available. To partly overcome this difficulty, an English manufacturer has now designed a car with a special body and equipment for supplying twelve hot baths at a time. The baths are constructed of stout proofed canvas, capable of standing hot water. They are mounted on a double iron frame. When folded up they can be carried in a very small space in the van-like body of the car. When in use, the baths are laid out six on each side of the car in tents formed by drawing out substantial canvases, which are secured to tent-poles, forming two compartments of about ISft bv 10ft each, with the car in tho centre. Canvases are also stretched on the ground under the baths, and fitted to eyelets under the tent-poles. When the car is travelling, tho tent canvases are rolled up under shelves on each side of the vehicle and strapped in position. The poles and gratings are carried on tho roof, which is fitted with a. luggage rail. Hot -water is supplied by taps projecting on each side of the forward ■ part of the car body. Hoses are secured j to their nozzles. The heating apparatus, which is in duplicate and is placed forward. inside the body, consists of two circulating boilers containing coiled copper tubes, capable of supplying two gallons of hot water per minute to each bath tap. Paraffin is used as fuel. . Sixty gallons of water are carried, and extra supplies are pumped up or taken aboard by a semi-rotary hand pump outside the back of the'car. The bath body can be fitted to any good strong chassis of about 20-30-li.p., and already subscriptions are being called for in England to enable a large number of cars so fitted to be sent' to the front, and thus assist-, in maintaining the (Army's welfare. \