MOTOR & CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1919, Page 9

MOTOR & CYCLE.

FASHION IN AMERICA. ONE IN EVERY 17 HAS A CAR. America hns ono motor vehicle lor every seventeen persons, according to figures compiled by authority. The average is based on the estimated population and the 1818 automobile and truck registration. The moat dense distribution of cars is in the Middle Western States, lowa and Nebraska being in the lead, each with an average of one car for every seven persons. Other Middle West States having a record under one car to every fifteen persons are: South Oakota, nine; Kansas ten; North Dako.ta, eleven; Michigan, twelve; and Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin, each with thirteen persons to a car. Although Illinois ranks in importance as a farming State with almost any mentioned above, the factor of a big city pulls down the State's ratio to 1 in 17. Small towns, according to a recent national census; have greater car registrations in proportion to their population than the large cities. New York and Pennsylvania, with their congested big city population, and their lack of space for car driving, have one car to twentythroe and twenty-four persons respectively. The figures show that the most fertile field for the automobile and tire salesman is in the rural districts, and that ,the motor vehicle has practically become a necessity to the farmer.

GOOD ROADS AN ASSET. God roads are an asset, and bad ones a liability. Mud holes may look cheap, but they are the most costly things any community could be saddled with (says an Australian writer). In this connection it is interesting to note that many experiments are being conducted in the various Australian States with sections of reinforced concrete roads. From experience gained in other parts of the world, the cement road gives promise ol being the road of the future. Its durability is remarkable, even under the heaviest of traffic, and from an economy standpoint it is far ahead of any of the road-making systems in operation in this and other parts of the world. Experts, from datfc collected after exhaustive tests, state that the reinforc:d concrete road is the only sound and lasting one. Despite these facts, the anticipated methods of road-making in the last century are still in evidence throughout this country.

'IN THE COUNTRY'S SERVICE. At & recent War Services dinner in Ijondon, given to members of the Royal Automobile Club, General Sir William Robertson stated that there was no part of the nation which had more right to be satisfied with their contribution to the war than the owner-drivers of tlie R.A.C. When the war began there was a demand for ears far in excess of what could he met by the trade, but the club members promptly came to the rescue. In England, ears belonging to club members bad cohered 37 million miles in the country's service, and had saved millions of pounds. The same can be truthfully said of the majority oC, the Automobile Club members in this country, maliy of whom have given all their available time towards helping ,the cause right through the war period.

THE HANDLING OF CAES." The average garage hand ought to be instructed that light paint and delicate upholstery p.re not intended to be mauled by dirty hands or sat upon in overalls that have been rubbing sides with a pit. -A new car with light hood material is left at a gurgae- In due course some garage hands desire to move it about; they push and pull everywhere but at the right place. Head lamps, radiator, and hood sticks are handy projections when man-handling a car. To push a car backwards by the radiator, or to pull it by a head lamp or hood stick, is an injurious practice. The owner should raise the strongest objee tion to such treatment, whenever he observes it. Cars cannot very well be painted "push or pull here" at the points where they can be handled. It may be pointed out, however, that the dumb irons, both at the front and rear, are the best places to get hold of a car either to push or pull it, as they are of strong construction and easily cleaned*

TIPS FOIi MOTORISTS. Do not forget that the ground connection of the ignition circuit should have a dependable connection to the metal parts of the ear. If the connection is at all or is made by including the wire under a nut or liolt head, the metal parts should be well cleaned and made bright before being tightened and the end of the ground wire should have a terminal of brass soldered to the wire.

When the car owner is confronted with the condition of 1 excessive oil consumption and no reasonable explanation is forthcoming, it is well to suspect the roar crank shaft bearing. Looseness in the fit of the bearing permits' the oil to work out and materially increase the consumption.

In fitting a new carburetor b© sure th-.t there is no looseness ,to cause vibration, because if there is a broken flange will be the inevitable result. If vibration is present a small iron bracket I should be installed from a nut on the engine frame to the instrument to steady it, also taking the strain oil the intake pipe.

In some cars the exhaust gasscs from the eiigine make riding unpleasant for occupants by swirling up over the rear seat. This condition may quickly be remedied by shaping a piece of tin or other sheet metal into tho form of a deflector and clamping it to the end of tho exhaust pipe by means of a large hose clamp or similar arrangement. When the outgoing gases strike this deflector, they are - thrown downward and outwards behind the car.

Prevent blowouts by avoiding severe jolts and by maintaining full air pressure.

Inspect the cones of your front wheel bearings occasionally. When they begin to wear through' at the bottom they uso a lot of jfower, and should he shifted. Turn them one-quarter around. This brings a new surface into use and so prolongs the life of the bearing. On motor trucks equipped with electric starters operators sometimes try the experiment of changing their storage batteries so as to have nine volts instead of six. This is a mistake, as the motor will not stand up under a higher voltage than the one it was intended fov.

When you intend stopping, or, in crowded traffic, slow up, always make your intentions known to the driver in your rear by holding your arm out from the side of the car in a horizontal position.

If yon open the relief valves to look for a cylinder missing explosions and fail to nee a flame, do not condemn that «#nder, Qseu

enough gas to fire. When the throstle is closed and the relief valve open, the engine sucks in so much fresh air that some cylinders cannot fire. In crowded traffic do not apply the brakes suddenly unless it is absolutely necessary. It may be tha.t tlio vehicle following cannot stop as quickly as you can. If this is the case a collision is sure to result.