THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1929.
DODGE
BROTHERS
NEW SIX
ROADSTERS and SEDANS
NEW SENIOR LANDAU SEDAN.
NOW ON VIEW
SOUTH CHINA MOTOR CAR CO.
33, Des Voeux Road, Central,
Telephone C. 5644,
CROSLEY RADIOS
THE NEW A C ELECTRIC 7 TUBE
GEMBOX
OPERATES 200 VOLT 50/60 CYCLE COMPLETE WITH DYNACONE “F”
H.K.$286.00
Come and have a demonstration at
THE SUNLIGHT CO.
137, Des Voeux Rd., C. Distributors for Hong Kong & South China: THE ASIATIC AMERICAN COMPANY 48, Stanley Street. Tel. C. 244.
RADIO SUPPLIES. Electric Gramophones
& Motors
Tone Arms and Sound Boxes. Super Elto Outboard Motors. RUDOLF WOLFF & KEW, LIMITED,
1st floor.
54, Queen's Road Central,
Tel. C. 2173.
RIES
ACCESSORIES
THE REPUBLIC MOTOR CO. OF CHINA.
30-32 Des Voeux Rd. C
Spare Parts
Batterie
aries,
THE CHINA MAIL,
LURE OF BALKANS
THROUGH 13 COUNTRIES WITH A HUMBER
USE OF CLUTCH
PARTS TAKEN FOR GRANTED
Some of the parts of the car's mechanism are so taken for granted
The average Briton's tendency to depreciate his successes or, at least, to keep silent on the subject has ever been a national characteristic, and in that many motorists fail to understand these days of self-advertisement is their importance or the engineering even more remarkable than before. It technique and investigation which has its disadvantages, however, be-
cause it undoubtedly affects trade which have made thom possible. Such, for receives stimulation from the, often, instance, is the ciatch, That, this in- bombastic stories of more pushful comvention has made motoring a simple act petitors. When the Briton is inclined is not usually realised. Of course, it to minimize a successful achievement is not necessary that drivers of cars and, in fact, almost to apologise for it, should understand all the ins and outs the world in general is liable to place a of all the parts of the ear. It is de- similar value upon it.
sirable, however, that motorists should The suitability of British motor cars have an appreciation of what factors for overseas is a case in point. Un-tend to make touring a pleasure. The doubtedly, a great deal of hostile pro-clutch is one of these. It is valuable paganda inspired by interested parties also to have some knowledge of how has been circulated on this subject, but such a mechanism as the clutch fune- it must also be admitted that a cer- tions, fer the more one understands tain amount has, as it were, gone by about one's car the better, both for the default by reason of this national ob extended use of the vehicle and for the session for keeping silence, Every day happiness of the driver. The clutch is in all parts of the world British cars the instrument which enables the en- hy their performance are giving the liegine of the car to run and the car it direct to talk about their unsuitability self to stand still. As every one knows for local conditions.
it would be very awkward to be cora
A good example is afforded by the ac-pelled to stop the engine every time count of a tour in the Balkans by Mr. it was desired to stop the ear. If
J. W. Fitzwilliam and his brother, both traffic jams are an inconvenience under amateur motorists, with a
Humber present circumstances, It con be Fabric Saloon. Having heard some-imagined what chaos and confusion thing of Balkan roads it was obvious would be involved in a traffic tie-up that hard wear and rough conditions where all the engines had to he stop- would be encountered and that expert ped after each car had moved forward help would be quite unavailable in many a few feet. Each car would have to placra The ear selected had a fabric be equipped with about half-a-dozen saloon body, and the makers fitted it self-starters to stand the strain of such out with spare parts of every sort and situation. description. So successfully, however. did the car stand up to its work that at the end of the journey the packages were returned to the works at Coven- try unopened.
room.
Road Conditions, Vile
Shifting of Gears
The car driver also finds it necessary at times to have the car develop a great amount of pulling power, while at other. After landing at Ostend the first times when the going is easy speed is part of the itinerary was through the most desirable facior. The clutch Belgium and Germany with no incidents makes it possible for the driver to worthy of note except perhaps for an bring different gears into mesh so that amusing event at Bayreuth, whero the the power of the engine may be con- landlord of the local hotel, being some-verted into car speed or palling power what lacking in garage accommodation, as noeded. By bringing different gears housed the car in the hall, where it into play the driver is enable to mul spent the night entirely blocking the tiply the pull of the engine when going passage between kitchen and dining-up steep hills or when travelling through sand and mud, and to obtain very high speed when the road is level The road conditions in Czecho- and hard and great pulling power is Slovakia proved vile, although towards not required. the Austrian frontier the width is
The clutch is a device that serves to considerable, only a small portion in connect and disconnect the engine from the middle is mettled, the remainder the transmission, and therefore from being a quagmire wet weather.the rear However, Vienna was reached in safety. means of
wheels. It is operated by and the attractions of the fine city, good through the toe board.
foot pedal, which projects music, fine pictures and buildings were released by pressing this pedal with the The clutch is greatly appreciated. Ther: followed a foot, and when so released the engine run across the great Hungarian plain will continue to rum, but will not de- to Budapest, where few more days liver power to the wheels. If the gears were spent. Conditions then became are in a neutral position, however, more primitive, and the road to Bel-power will not be applied to the car grade after the Jugo-Slavian frontier even when the clutch is engaged. The had been reached was on endless suc- clutch must be released whenever the cession of potholes and open entverts gear shifting lever is woved, and should which, with geese, children and pigs be released usually, when the brake is made the passage through the villages applied.
a slow and hazardous undertaking.
Between Belgrade and Sofia real
The most popular type of clutch is Balkan road conditions were met with. composed of flat plates or discs. The For mile after mile the car bounced, number of discs employed varies with not in and out of potholes, but rather the design and size of the plates and from ridge to ridge of exaggerated cor-clutch is easily subjected to great the power of the engine. As the rugations, so that a good clearance abuse and excessive wear, it must be such as the Humber possessed was
essential. Under such conditions driv. constructed so as to stand up under ing became very tiring and, now and a wide margin of overwork. In the then, where a comparatively good multiple dise types of clutch a number stretch of road appeared, the driver of plates are arranged so as to en- was tempted to open out. The travel-gage with the flywheel of the engine, iers came to the conclusion, however, and they therefore are rotated when that it was some trick of the Balkan ever the engine is in motion. Alternate road maker for, time after time, when plates placed between these ure en- they had accelerated to 30 or 40 m.p.h., aged with a drum that is fastened to a gaping chasm would appear, and they the shaft of the gear-box.
With the clutch pedal in the re- were faced by a broken or rotten bridge. After passing the Bulgarian leased position, the plates are all forced frontier the road at times blended itself apart by small springs, and they slide with the river bed and it meant mov. freely over each other. This permits ing boulders and wading through the the engine to run without driving the stream before a way could be found. rear wheels. When it is desired to Mr. Fitzwilliam and his brother were transmit the motion of the engine to enthusiastic about the warm welcome the rear wheels the clutch is engaged. they encountered in the Balkan cities. This is done by releasing the pres In their own phraseology: "What sure of the foot from the clutch pedal, these Balkan cities lack in Macadam which permits a strong spring to force and Tarmac their inhabitants make up the plates into contact with each other. for in kindness and hospitality."
From
Wild and Picturesque
Just north
The friction generated by this pressure causes the plates revolving with the Sofia the route led down plates attached to the gears, and all flywheel of the engine to pick up the through the wild and picturesque revalve together. In this way the rear valley of the Struma into Macedonia.wheels of the car are made to rotate of Salonika, the with the engine at a ratio of speed de- travelers were warned that they might be heid up by briganda pending upon which set of gears is en- gaged in the transmission, and in and, sure enough, two rather desperate looking characters did "hold direct proportion to the speed of the up" the car, and were suitably remov- ed. Later, in Salonika, however, it was learned that the two "brigands" plates faced with a special friction were gendarmes actually trying to warn the Humber and its crew of the dan gers ahead.
engine.
Material Used in Plates Most dise clutches have half the
material, the alternate plates being of smooth steel. They require no lubri The glorious scenery of Albania and cation; in fact, the surfaces of the its picturesque inhabitants
plate must not be kept free from oil thoroughly appreciated; in fact the tra which comes into play when the clutch However, the clutch throw-out-bearing, vellers were so impressed with that is held in the released position, must little piece of mediaeval Europe that
were
they were moved to wonder whether be kept well lubricated. Keeping the civilisation has not gone too far and foot on the clutch pedal while driving, what such modern amenities as trains known as "riding the clutch," brings and trams, paved streets and theatres this bearing into action, causing 2- bring which can be worth more than vessary wear and only a slight pres the simple outlook on life of those sure of the foot will be malicient to brave and courteous people?
cause the plates to slip, get hot, and
The mountain scenery of Montenegro wear out very quickly. However, when was most impressive, end provided a starting the car from a standstill the good test for the hill climbing capabil clutch should be allowed to slip slight ties of the Humber. After leaving To obtain smooth action when Cettinje, a wonderful mountain road starting the car, it is necessary with twenty-four hairpin bends led to to allow the pedal to come back very warda Ragusa and the Dalmatian Coast slowly until the clutch begins to en- From Trieste the itinerary proceeded gage and the car actually starts to through Riva on Lake Garda to Milan move.
and Stress, and so into Switzerland,rela via the Simplon pass
By the time France was reached
Get
All
13
cars are not the same-a thrilling
new order of per-
formance awaits.
behind you in this brilliant the wheel Car and you'll want
Buick-Drive the
and
to drive it home!
get the facts!
All automobiles are not alike! Drive Buick-test It thoroughly in comparison with any other car-and the results will lead you to Buick. Be sure to ask us about the liberal G. M. A. C. Time Payment Plan, which makes it easy to own a Buick.
Buick Motor Company, Flint, Michi Dalsion of Genaval Motors Corberathe
BUICK
WITH MASTERPIECE BODIES BY FISHER
THE
DRAGON MōtōR CAR COMPANY LTD.,
33, Wong Wei Chung Road, Happy Valley
WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT........BUICK WILL BUILD THEM..
FOR EXCESS
MILEAGE
YOU NEED
FISK
All-Cords
FISK ALL-CORD TYRES
deliver more mileage than you
can reasonably expect.
FISK ALL-CORDS will give
you the same dependable ser-
vice.
Drive around to-
day and let
us end your tyre troubles.
OBTAINABLE AT ALL GARAGES UPON REQUEST.
DISTRIBUTORS :-
LICENSING
GILMAN & CO.
NEED FOR REMOVAL OF INCONSISTENCIES
HONG KONG BANK BUILDING,
Tel C. 290 -- 4A, Des Voeux Rd. C.
both to our chassis builders and tions, all of which constitute hody-builders and hinder that very considerable annoyance and smooth co-ordination of design and difficulty to the vehicle producer production which should be the and, often, to the user. So thirteen countries had been traversed without any special preparation, had
aim of the efficient maker.
It would not be so serious, s276 during the tour; and the Humber survived without the least trouble at
the hands of two amateurs under con- Important as have been the ad Recommendations issued to The Commercial Motor, if there ditions which are generally conddered vançes made in that portion of makera and licensing authorities were any considerable measure of to rival any of the so-called "Colonial" our great motor vehicle industry by the Ministry of Transport are co-operation between the variops variety, over 4,500 miles of roads, good, which is concerned with the all very well, and they may have authorities concerned, but, at pre- bad and sometimes almost non-existent.
BEAN
LANE CRAWFORD LTD. Automobile Dent. C.193.
In Budapest, by the way, it was less transport of passengers by road, done something to help in the sent, those responsible for the ed that there was a Humber which there are still many pettifogging situation, but far too much lati licensing of vehicles in one area bad heen running in the aty dormir restrictions which should have tude is permitted the individual may have ideas completely at teen years, a fact which speaks well been abolished years ago restric- local licensing Inspector, who variance with the authorities in for the reliability of British are In Lions which cause an enormous often imposes various petty res another, and possibly adjoining general and the Humber in particular, amount of trouble and expense trictions and demands modifica district.