THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1915, Page 12

THE MOTOR AND CYCLE.

MJiWS AND NOTES, What a remarkable money-making I>ro})usitiou the American Ford Motor Co. is! This company was only incorporated in June, 1003, witli a capital stock pf £20,000. In Anguct this year dividends totalling £9,600,0000 will be distributed amongst the eight shareholders, some £5,508,000 going to Henry Ford, the originator and moving spirit of this wonderful motor-cur manufacturing concern.

* t i "We have referred more than ones," says the Motor (England), ''to the possibility of a car famine, and there is no doubt that we are very near to,'if we have not already arrived at, the time when it may truthfully be said that there is a new ear famine. Every important concern that 'manufactures motor-ears is now engaged wholly or in part upon Government work, and Allows that the production of nev ensure cars has now practically, ci istu in this country: That being the case, the second-hand car market is now particularly active. Buying is keen, and values of good cars of recent construction have advanced from 15 to 20 per cent. The country is being searched by dealers for good second-hand cars, and there is no doubt ■ that there is a keen demand for recently-built used cars." Anyone in this country desirous of securing new English-made cars should secure what is available without delay, for the shortage of first-class cars in England will be even more intensified in the Commonwealth and New Zealand.

There can be little doubt iu the mind of the traffic student that a still greater impetus will be given to mechanical traction after the war, especially in the commercial world. On all grounds this will be beneficial to the country. Those business men who are not yet converted to the advantages of mechanical traction for business purposes will have had their eyes opened by the many lessons which the war is teaching as to the superiority of such methods of haulage. From the humanitarian point of view, we shall be saved the shameful sight so often witnessed larger towns of overloaded commercial vehicles with straining horses endeavoring to haul far too great weights. The use of the electric vehicle for commercial work is of growing importance. Few people in this country have any conception of the great success that has been achieved in America during the past few years in this direction. It has recently been recorded that there are at present in the United States no fewer than 75,000 electric vehicles in daily use. As regards this country, although it is not possible that the near future will see the storage battery form of locomotion ousting our old friend petrol from the field for country and touring purposes, it is certain that in time to come the electric vehicle will come into more general use for various commercial trade purposes. As evidence of this future tendency, it may be pointed out that it is barely three years since the Edison nickel iron accumulator was placed upon the English market, and yet its progress has been very rapid in the department of activity mentioned above.

The mutliplication of cylinders in mo- ,j tor-car construction seems likely to tie- ~ velop to a ridiculous extent. In the t early days the single-cylinder held 'the field" It was noisy and hard, and the torque was very uneven, but it was mar- , V?llously simple, and roadside troubles, which at that period were frequent, were , easy to diagnose. The two-cylinder engine was an improvement in so.ne re- , speets, but it was dillieult to secure ,'cod balance, and when the four-cylinder vas introduced, experts condemned the two, holding the view that for simplicity the single-cylinder was facile princeps, and for smoothness of running the four was l infinitely superior. In this they were quite correct, but the four-cylinder en trine of those days gave a good deal of double, and the difficulty of di'agnosla<» the trouble was considerable, and much time and labor were involved in keepim'the engine in proper tun; both as regards ignition, earburation and valves" As (he yea» went by, however, these difficulties in design and manufacture were gradually mastered, and the four-cylinder engine of to-day gives the minimum of trouble. When we contrast it with the four of thirteen or fourteen years ago, the difference in this respect is -very striking. The tuning and correct timing of the early mode absorbed much time and labor, and amongst private owners it took a comparative exnnrt to keep the engine up to the mark. ' Then the six was evolved, end here again many liliiciliics nad to be met, more especially as leganls balance. It was condemned at first by " the majority of motorists as being too eoiimiicated"i>rd requiring too much attention. It has been gradually perfected however, and within recent years [he eHit has been evolved. Theoretieal.y and practically it is a better proposition than the six, but necessarily must involve more trouble to keep in order, justas the six involves more trouble than the four, the quality in both cases being the same. There' is every indication, however, of this development reaching an extreme limit, for the twelve-cylin-der is now under discussion, and it is exceedingly probable that we shall see some of \ hose on the market, Possibly the first will emanate from America.

Needless lo say, sucli an engine would be absolutely perfect as regards even torque, balance, smooth running and flexibility. The eight-cylinder is already 60 perfect in this respect that it does not jjeeni possible that the improvement can prove sufficient to warrant the increased expense in production, complication ami need of attention. The eight pull* like a steam engine, and is i almost a ore-gear power unit. It will itart on the high gear even on a slight np-o-nule. and onlv on stilV hills is it necessary to drop off the high speed. Fventakin" it for'granted that a twelve ] would voir as well as an eight, and that an eight would wear as veil as a four the multiplicity of parts must lead to increased labor in keeping the engine up to concert pitch or remedying d» iects which mzy materialise.