MOTOR AND CYCLE

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1922, Page 11

MOTOR AND CYCLE

THE ROAD PROBLEM April 1, 1922. With the steadily increasing weight and pace of modern motor traffic the making and maintaining of the roads is a problem that is pressing for solution. The heavy loads that can be carried or hauled by motor waggons at from two to four times as fast as horse drawn vehicles soon break up the roads as at present constructed, and to meet the situation so far as the vehicle is concerned, efforts are being made by the use of six-wheeled motor waggons to distribute the weight over more bearing surfaces; that is to say, where a 4-wheeled vehicle carries 6 tons the average load per wheel is 30 cwt., whereas if six. wheels were employed the weight per wheel would be redu :<1 to one ton. Possibly, had it not been for the war, developments in this direction might have been more rapid, for the coming of the 6-wheeler has long been prophesised. It remains to be seen whether the rigid type of 6-wheel-er (where only the front pair of wheels are steerers) will be developed along practical lines, (for many of these machines are already in use.

The problem is a difficult one on account of the necessity for steering with two pairs of wheels. If the front and back wheels are steered, then a vehicle standing closely alongside the kerb must, in order to get to the crown of the road, either scrape its tyres considerably, dr else mount the pavement with its near rear wheel. Moreover, steering connections are somewhat complicated, there are difficulties in ensuring a correct distribution of weight on all axles. The type of the flexible 6wheeler already in use is essentially a short 4-wheeled tractor connected by turntable and gimbals to a 2-heeled following vehicle, the body of which carries the load. It is only necessary to steer with the front pair of wheels, practically no complications are introduced. With the ordinary 6-wheeled motor the load is propelled -from the rear, but in the 6-wheeler as described, the load is for the most part drawn behind the pair of driving wheels, which makes for efficiency. It is flexible in traffic, but tricky in the reverse gear. HORSE POWER RATING. In many cases nowadays the purchasers of motor-cycles at least have ceased to consider “horse power” in selecting a machine, but delve into the question of cubic capacity as the basis of further comparisons of power value. The Motor Cycle (Eng.) thinks the time opportune for a revision of the whole matter, and at once, especially emphasising the fact that makers’ horse power ratings are purely intended to be nominal indications of what the various sizes of engines should develop, and that they are not intended to illustrate that each particular engine does develop on brake test or otherwise. For many years it was the pleasing custom of manufacturers to preserve some sort of modest uniformity, and for the benefit of new-comers to the pastime the following recognised scale is recapitulated: A 250 c.c. engine was 2J-h.p., a 350 c.c. was 3% h.p., a 500 c.c. was 3§ h.p., a 750 c.c was 5-6 h.p., and 1000 c.c. was 8 h.p. Among the 1922 sidecar machines there are glaring inconsistencies. A 370 c.c. Oonnought is rated as 3J h.p., and a 633 c.c. Norton as 4 h.p., while a 499 c.c. Rover is 4 h.p., and a 499 c.c. Triumph as 3J h.p. Again the 4 h.p. Norton is nearly 100 c.c. larger than the 5 h.p. Stanger. One example of discrepancies in the big twin engine class will be sufficient. The 996 c.c. MAG. engine (air cooled) is fitted to the 7 h.p. Matchless, and the 996 c.«. (water-cooled) is fitted to 10 h.p. cycle cars. Several solutions of the rating problem have been suggested, one of which, going back to the old-fashioned scale, is as follows:

No doubt the foregoing would mean a considerable drop in nominal horse power value for several machines, but apart from the fact that it is not very fairly graduated, it has much to recommend it. It would probably mean a lesser number of catalogue alterations and reprints than would any other scheme. More revolutionary, but more nearly approaching the truth, is the suggestion to allow 100 c.c. to represent one horse power. Thus:—

And so on; or the figures might be taken decimally, whatever they were, when a 293 c.c. J.A.P. would be 2.93 h.p. and a 263 c.c. Villers 2.63 h.p., etc. LOW PRICED CARS. At the recent London motor shows it was significant that the greatest volume of business fell to those firms which displayed low-priced cars. Perhaps it was what one would expect, but it may have a double effect not immediately apparent. The introduction of large numbers of low-priced cars, many of which gave every promise of satisfactory road performance, means that the number of motorists in Great Britain will be enormously increased during the year, and the more motorists there are the better the chances for makers of expensive cars to sell their goods. At the annual dinner of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (Eng.), which marked the opening of the show, the president uttered a warning to the industry to beware of the snare of concentrating on the low-priced car, because over-produc-tion of this class of vehicle would be very easily achieved, and would lead to greater chaos in business than that which existed last year. That may be true enough, but against it must be urged the argument that every purchaser of a low-priced car is a potential buyer of a better one. ACCESSORIES AND COMPONENTS. It is sometimes very difficult to draw the line between what are termed accessories and components of the motor car. Thus, for instance, carburetters and magnetos should be classed as components. If we regard an accessory as an unessential though desirable extra, then the maintenance of the principle of good quality is even more important in respect of components which, when once fitted, form integral of

the complete vehicle. Wherever it isproposed to assemble cars locally from components imported from manufacturing countries, it is of the utmost importance that these components should be selected on the grounds of quality, and not simply on the basis of price. It is conceivable that a vehicle may be produced at a very low price in a large complete factory or a series of factories, and yet may be satisfactory. It is almost inconceivable that a car assem--1 bled from the lowest priced components will be other than unsatisfactory. It is practically certain that some part or other will give trouble. Substantial economy, however, can be effected by fitting good components to low-priced vehicles. In numerous cases otherwise first class cars have been rendered imperfect and more or less troublesome, inefficient or uncomfortable because secondrate accessories have been fitted, while, on the other hand, there are comparatively cheap cars from which the owners are getting the maximum of enjoyment and service because the opposite policy has been adopted. Again, there are many low-priced vehicles which will give far better service if a little money is spent on replacing cheap accessories and small components with articles of superior quality. There is, however, no need to expend much on high finish and polish where the main requirement is really economy and la-bor-saving in respect of cleaning.

Not exceeding 250 c.e 2t h.p. From 250 c.c. to 300 c.e. 24 h.p. From 300 c.c. to 350 c.c. 2? h.p. From 350 c.c. to 400 c.c. . .. 3 h.p. From 400 c.c. to 500 c.c. ,. . 81 h.p. From 500 c.c. to 560 c.c. ...... 4 h.p. From 500 c.c. to 600 c.c. .-....... 44 h.p. From 600 c.c. to 700 c.c. ...... 5-6h.p. From 700 c.c. to 800 c.c 6-7h.p. From 800 c.c. to 1000 c.c 8 h.p.

250 c.c. to equal 2$ h.p. 300 c.c. to equal 3 • h.p. 350 c.c. to equal li.p. 400 c.c. to equal 4 h.p. 500 c.c. to equal 5 h.p. 550 c.c. to equal 5A h.p.