MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1921, Page 11

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

. NEWS AND NOTES. Feb. 19th 1921. Among the pioneer motorists there have always been numbered a few enthusiastic supporters of the steam car. Despite the gradual disappearance of the pteam car, that interest still exists, and it needs but the slightest encouragement to make itself manifest. Although the internal combustion-engined passenger car seems to have ousted its rival, for only in the United States is the steam car still manufactured, yet recent development in steam engineering, such as the oil-fired steamships and locomotive engines, suggest that were the steam car re-introduced on modern lines it would prove vastly superior in efficiency to its predecessors. At the present time the rising price of petrol is focusing attention on alternative fuels, and it must be remembered that the steam car presents another method of utilising kerosene and even crude oil as fuel. If we concede that "a heavier grade of oil fuel than kerosense even, might be utilised in the light of experience gained from oil-fired furnaces, then it is conceivable that the steam car might be in a better position than formerly to compete against cars engined with internal.combustion motors. Some extraordinary mileages have been achieved in consumption tests carried out with two-stroke engined “Levis” motor cycles in England. Over a 54 miles give and take course, one machine weighing 1291b5, and geared to 5J to 1, did 245 miles to the gallon. On another machine weighing 1311bs, geared 5 7-8 to one, and with a heavier rifler, the remarkable result of 320 miles per gallon was obtained. Standard machines and carburetters were used. The figures have not yet been confirmed by the English authorities. Motor transport received a big set back in this country during the war period, but its undoubted efficiency and saving in tiqie and money must ere long attract the attention of enterprising business Concerns. Another point in connection with commercial motor vehicles is, that war service at the front demonstrated the weak features with the result that the English motor truck of to-day is a far better service proposition than it was in 1914. Another fact in its favor is that a few years back, nobody knew the average life period of the heavy business motor vehicle working on solid tyres in heavy traffic, but it was generally put at about four years, though many secretly believed even that forecast to be highly optimistic. Nowadays it is generally estimated at eight or nine years as a minimum, and with first class maintenance out to reach a dozen or more of years, is an important point for potential users’ consideration. That is the real secret— -first-class maintenance—and it is this which, to a great extent, has to maintenance its present importance . But there are other factors. The machine which to-day has to be protected as far as possible against the causes of depreciation represents about twice as much capital as it would ten or even six years ago; the enormous increase in labor costs renders the special making of any part a much more expensive matter than formerly, and calls ever more insistently for a systematic supply of spares, and increased use of motor transport necessitates a more widely distributed organisation. Finally, the operations of the average business vehicle of to-day are far more widespread than before the war, the average car goes> further afield. It is not surprising, therefore, that much attention has of late been directed to this matter of maintenance. Its importance as a factor in the success of motor transport can hardly be overestimated. A new set of long distance motor cycle side-car track records have been established at “Brooklands” England, by H. le Vack on a 7-horse-powered 8 valve “Indian” outfit. The new figures are 1 hour, fIG miles 471 yards; 2 hours, 125 miles 16f19 yards; 3 hours, 185 miles yards; 4 hours, 247 miles 928 yards; 5 hours, 308 miles 1433 yards; 6 hours, 363 miles 688 yards. The merit of the ride will be realised when it is mentioned that a pace of slightly over a mile a minute was maintained by the outfit for the full 6 hours.

An interesting race was recently run near Paris between a racehorse and a 30-h.p. motor-car, over a course of 550 metres, or approximately 600 yards. The car started from rest; the horse was conceded a flying start. The horse won the race, with something in hand, not being overtaken by the car until he had run 588 Of course, the flying start gave the horse a tremendous advantage, but one would have thought that a thirty horse-power car could get into its stride quickly enough to overtake the swiftest horse in less than 600 yards. The fastest pace ever recorded for a horse is 38 miles; the fastest pace evere claimed for a motor-car is 150 ,miles an hour.

Motorists the world over recognise and appreciate the worth and dependability of the wire wheel, but few know that the weight of the wire spokes with which the wheel is constructed is only about 51bs, even in a large 880 x 120 millimetre wheel. The wire employed is of a tensile strength o-f 65 tons per square inch, every coil used in manufacture being tested to these standards, and also by being made to withstand eight right-angle bends in opposite directions without showing a fracture. In the case of the old type of artillery wheel made from wood, the presence of a single doubtful member was a source of great danger, and moreover there was no means of testing it other than by superficial examination. The advantage of the more modern metal type becomes, therefore, all the more obvious.

At the present moment there are two main methods of protecting the occupants of the rear seats on a car from draughts and from slight rain. The first is by the provision of an allweather body, or alternatively by the fitting of a hood and side curtains,’ the latter entirely enclosing the car when erected.

The second simpler and more satisfactory method, except as regards heavy rain, is the provision of a windscreen for the rear passengers, with side wings which will prevent side draughts troubling them. It has been proved that a windscreen to be efficient must be carried as close to the occupant’s eyes as possible. In the ordinary open touring body this can only be satisfactorily effected in one of three ways: (1) By means of a scuttle dash, with the screen mounted on its rearmost extremity; (2) the provision of a rear windscreen on telescopic arms, with a waterproof apron hung in front of the knees of the rear occupants; and (3) by some form of adjustable screen, uhich has a filling'in piece either permanently or flexibly fixed between the screen and the rear i of the front