1936 STUDEBAKER

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 15

1936 STUDEBAKER

bOME UNUSUAL TESTS. THOUGH FIELDS AT 40 M.P.H. Amazing is the only word that can adequately describe the performance of the 1936 Studebaker Sedan. \V‘hen lthe Auckland distributors recently arlrungcd fur a road test, it was sus-Igestr-tl that the car he put through the ‘most exacting tests that could be de—ivismi. it is generally understood that nearly all 1930 cars are smooth running, ride “'0“ 0n rough surfaces and ‘liave a top speed somewhere in the Vicinit)~ or 80 miles an hour, and it was requested that something ditterent, from the usual test. route be chosen for the trial. \\'ell run-in. the car used for the test had covered over 2000 miles. Driven along the waterfront met at between 60 and ’7O miles an hour, it was taken over the badly pot-holed road behind Orakei at just over 50 miles an hour. the corners being hugged all the ttme, The Speedometer, incidentally. 'had been tested in Auckland and was guaranteed to be securate. .\I-ost cars now will take right angle corners on gravel at about 35 mLies an imur.‘ but the Studebaker performed the feet with little skidding or body-roll at 46 miles an hour.

The most. severe tests were to come. A ploughed, tussock—covered field, several acres in extent, was entered. Although the section was divided by two drains. about “in. deep, the Studebaker was driven‘ round it and through the drains with the speedometer‘s needle hovering about £3. rl‘hi‘s could lpossibly he done in various other cars. but it is doubtful whether the ride would compare in comfort with that in the Studebaker. Not once. even in the drains. did the body strike the rear axle housing, so efficient was the suspension system.

Perhaps the most unusual test was the charging of a 1:5 degree clay bank at 36 miles an hour, from the rough paddock, not from the road. The Studebaker went over easily. The feat was repeated and the car was stopped halt-way up the bank. A]ihough the angle was 45 degrees, the eflorts or three men in violently rook-in-g the vehicle railed to make it appear at any time that it might capsize. The car was a stock model in every respect. The braking is powerful and perfectly equalised, while the petrol consumption is guaranteed by the distributors to be not less than 20 miles to the gall-on under ordinary driving conditions. The steering also was put to an unusual test. The car was driven along a straight pot-holed stretch of road behind 'Orakei for nearly e-quar-ter of a mile without the steering Wheel being touched. A 'maehine that names through such tests with flying colours is undoubtedly something out ’ or the ordinary. You should make a point of seeing this wonderful car at the Hamilton Agents, Peter Pan Motors. Ltd.. who are also distributors for the Willys 7‘l. Their address is ‘Colllngwood St. [Phone 2162. -