MOTOR AND CYCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1926, Page 15

MOTOR AND CYCLE.

VOGUE OF THE CHIEF SALOON MOTORING AT HOME Motoring Correspondent.) London. Out. 14. I As further details of the 1927 car proI grammes come to hand it becomes posi sible to indicate the scope of the. exI Jiibits which will be on view at the Motor Show at Olympia on October 22. The vogue of the six-cylinder car has been already referred to in a previous article, and in this respect all that need be said is that manufacturers themselves probably do not anticipate any overwhelming demand for these new models in the coming year. The advent of the new “sixes' 5 may lie considered in the light of a test of public favour, and, unless there is revealed an insistent demand for the immediate production of these cars in considerable numbers, it is unlikely that they will come into widespread use before 1928. The coming year will be utilised mainly for “trying out’’ purposes, and it is all to the good that this should be the ease, for with i greater experience on the road of the I cheaper six-cylinder car both the manu- ■ facturer and the purchaser will know j exactly how they stand in regard to reliability and performance when the real boom in this class of car arrives. In the matter of automobile design it is sometimes advisable to hasten slowly. The boom in balloon tyres came suddenly. and many motorists fitted low pressure types in haste only to find later that in many cases they did not give the service expected of them. As a result of greater experience of such tyres their weaknesses have been discovered and remedied and low-pressure tyres are * now as reliable as high-pressure tyres. Bnt the improvement only came after a period of trial under ordinary road conditions. such as it is apparently the intention of the manufacturers to submit the new six-cylinder models during 1927. UNNECESSARY HIBERNATION. The increasing tendency to use a car all the year round will be reflected at this year's show by the number of enclosed bodies. There was a time when motorists faithfully observed a close season for motoring and doomed their cars tn a period of hibernation lasting often from October to April, hut nowadays there is much less rigid adherence io such a close season, and if a minority of motorists de actually nut up their cars it is for a much shortened period. ; This change of attitude towards motorI ing in the winter has been largely | brought about by the cheaper saloon body, and the most efficacious all-wea-ther equipment supplied with even the cheapest tourer. There seems no point in denying to oneself the pleasures of motoring in winter where the cold and rain can be so well excluded. The steel saloon will continue in evidence at this year’s show, but there will be interesting examples of other forms of const ruction. The fabric saloon has ifttractive Qualities of .lightness, but it will

have a rival this year in the ply-wood saloon, of which there will be several exhibits. Light car users are particularly interested in this method of construction, and their attention will doubtlessly be attracted by a saloon body of this sort on a popular model of car, which, it is claimed, is lighter than , the chassis maker's open body. LIGHTER CARS. I As a consequence of the trend towards lighter bodies, chassis designers are devoting some attention this year to i lighter chassis. In the past the designers stiffened up a chassis to carry the ! heavy and cumbersome bodies and fit- ; tings which were the rule, bnt such exi pedients are being abandoned, and the. ; aim is to produce a chassis which will j embody lightness with structural (strength. In the pursuit of this aim , designers have been much helped by the ’ higher grade materials at their disposal | and by improved balancing of the mov- ; ing parts. Unnecessary weight is being t pared away where possible, thus giving I the promise of a more effective use of j engine power, lower fuel and oil con- ! sumption, longer wear of tyres and betiter acceleration. It is improbable that i there will be many new features of outi standing interest from a mechanical [point of view at this year’s show. ! Overhead valves with enclosed rockers land push rods are coming into greater [favour with owner-drivers who, it is | estimated, constitute about 70 per eent. j of the motoring population of this country. The reason is that this type of I valve lends itself to easy access for adj justment and decarbonising. Other adi vantages claimed for overhead valves | are that there is no disturbance of ig- ; nition and other fittings to get at the i valves and that they are conducive to | more rapid acceleration and better com- | bustion. Another tendency piaking for ■ simplification from the ow-ner-driver's point of view is towards the exclusion of chain and belt drives for engine accessories. More makers are adopting positive drive for fans, dynamos and water pumps. In regard to other details of chassis construction little change has been notified. POINTS FOR THE OWNER-DRIVER. While on the subject of the owner- , driver’s convenience, reference must be I made to the efforts of manufacturers to ‘ secure tarnish-proof fittings and a body j finish that will require less attention i from hose and sponge. There will be I found at the show interesting examples I of plating alloys and stainless steel [ which may solve the problem of retain- ; ing the attractive effect of bright metal j party without the wearisome work of ; cleaning them after every shower. TarI nish-proof fittings are not likely to be | universally achieved this year, however, j so it is a's well that the manufacturers [ of the cheaper- and medium-priced ears I are continuing to reduce the number I and surface of the bright nickel parts on their products. That other bugbear of I the owm -driver, car-washing, will seem I less necessary to put. up with ia the 11927 models, for cellulose finish has I passed out of the experimental stage i and replaces the orthodox coachpaint on ‘ many of the new models. The principal points in favour of ■ cellulose finish are that mud, grit and dust may be removed

with a cloth instead of with hose and sponge, that it does not- scratch and that it is impervious to tar. ENCLOSED CAR LUXURY. ’ As usual, the wide range of luxurious , eoaehwork will form the principal spectacular attraction at the show. In the case of the large limousines the tendency of the coach builders to make the interiors suggeß’ a drawing room rather than an automobile is continued this year, but a greater determination is apparent to achieve resplendent effect without the sacrifice, of such necessaries as an abundant flow of fresh air, a minimum of noise and the absence of any blind spots. -The saloon of 1927 gives ventilation rather than draughts, does not act as a sounding board for vibration, and gives the driver unobstructed vision. These perfections are not confined to the more expensive saloons, but are to be found in even the ! cheaper types of enclosed bodies. The I age-old controversy as to the relative j merits of the opeh tourer and the saloon I may continue for many more years, but it is safe to prophesy that this year’s range of enclosed cars, with their many I excellences and cheap prices, will con- ' vert many motorists to the virtues of i such bodywork. In the early summer it is delightful to rush along the open road in a touring car with the hood down, but against that it must be borne in mind, that the brilliance of summer is of short duration, and that indifferent weather is to be expected during most of the year. For all-the-year-round motoring there is, in the view of the writer at any rate, no more suitable car than the modern saloon of reputable make. SAFETY LAST. This collection shows the versatile reference of the American Press to the incautious: — Lies slumbering here one William Lake; lie heard the bell, but had no I brake.—Detroit News. I At 50 miles drove .Allie Pidd; he | thought he wouldn’t skid, but did. i Rome Times. i At 90 miles drove Eddie Shawn; the motor stopped, but “Ed,” kept on. Little Falls Times. Here sleeps, one Johnny Fonker; he rounded a turn without a honker.— Scranton Scrantonian. Down in the creek sleeps Jerry Bass; the bridge was narrow; he tried to pass. —Wilges-Barre Times Leader. Beneath this stone sleeps William Raines; tee on the hill; be had no chains— Harisbnrg Telegraph. [ Here lies the body of William Jay, ! who died maintaining his right-o-way. ' --Boston Transcript. I And here’s what’s left of Samuel, I Small; he paid no attention to ‘-slow” signs at all.—Capper’s Weekly. Here lies all that’s left of Harry; at the railroad crossing he did not tarry — Railway Life. John' William Jones lies under this thistle; he didn’t lieed the Chodchoo’s whistle.—Railroad Data,