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SOME SIMPLE
SUGGESTIONS
For The New Owner-Driver
A new car is usually supplied these days with a key to the ign!- tion switch. A spare key is also supplied which should be carried concealed on the car. If one key is lost this one can then be ob tained immediately. An owner who returns to his car and finds he was lost the ignition key, and has no spare. is in an embarrassing position. Do not carry the igni- tion key loose with money, where it is hard to distinguish trom coins and is easily lost. It is far better to keep it in a leather key holder, in which can be carried all your keys. In American cars ignition keys are sometimes sup- piled in a bright colour to make
easily distinguishable them the key ring or in a key holder.
on
ON SUMMER EVENINGS When planning a tour or long motor journey which is kely to take one in a westerly direction; remember that on fine summer one will be driving evenings straight into the sun. Whilst the days are long the sun will shine the horizon for quite a low on time and makes driving towards It very tiring to the eyes. Make an earlier start, therefore, it pos- sible, and arrange to reach the destination about tea time instead of dinner time.
PLASTICINE
Plasticine is one of the most useful things a motorist can carry in the car. It can be used for stopping a leak in the petrol tank, in the radiator, or water: pipe, or for mending a fractured fuel pipe. Frequently it is guffi- cient to use plasticine alone, but In some cases, for instance, on a pipe, It can be bound round with strips of rag to give it more strength. It may also be useful as a means of securing some small piece of mechanism which has become loose.
REAR AXLES
Certain types of rear axle cen- tre casings have a funnel-shaped filler which should set the level of the lubricant in the axle cas ing; but often, owing to the grease-like consistency of the oil, this
Aller becomes blocked and gives the appearance of being fall, whereas the bevels and differen- it tal need lubricant. The thick of should be removed be- fore attempting to pour more oli into the casing, and, in cases where, this is difficult, owing to the shape of the filler, oll can be forced in by using a big pump- *uke syringe,
the to
nozzle GI which Я plece of about.
has flexible rubber
tubing been fixed. The rubber tubing wil then pass through the stiff lubricant and deliver the new all where it is most required. MEASURING PETROL CONSUMP- TION
If your car has a reserve con- trol" for the petrol supply the easiest way of measuring petrol consumption is to rùn the car until the main supply is exhaust- ed, then switch over to reserve, all up with, say, ve gallons, at the nearest petrol station, and see how many miles are covered before the main supply is again- used up in this way a fair idea of the petrol consumption as it works out under average ran ning conditions can be obtained
It is possible that if this pro- cedure is repeated a variation in results will be found. "Th: some measure this is due to the vary. ina methods of driving, to the nature of the inurney, such as the amount of low gear work in hill-climbing and town use, and 4160 to weather genditions.
H your car has no reserve tap, perhaps the best plan is to carry full two gallon can of petrol, run the main tank dry, fill up with the two gallops carried, and qee how far the car will run on that supply. Bemember, however, to get the two-gallon can refilled at the nearest garage.
Suth methods are quite accur- ate enough for the owner-driver, since they tell him what he wants to know, namely, the petrol con- sumption on the average type of Journey. When testing one fuel against another it is more usual to use smaller and more accurate ly measured amounts and to run at an even speed upon a flat com- parison.
If you should run out of petrol obtain a spare can, it is worth while remembering that a full two-gallon can is quite heavy, and if there is a long walk ahead it is definitely advisable to take one gallon in it only.
TAPPET CLEARANCE When the tappet clearance gauge originally suppilled with the tool kit has been mislaid or lost, the clearance between the valve stem and the tappet can be. checked with a old safety-razor blade, which is approximately 0.008in, thick, thought this is only a temporary measure and a pro per gunge should be secured as soon as possible. When checking the clearance find out from the manufacturers whether the val- ves should be set at 0.008in. with the engine hot or with it cold.
to stop
BRAKES
After the brakes have been au- justed and the car has been run for a short distance, it is, as well
and feel the brakes are. binding. If one is hot "It means that that particular brake is ad- justed too tightly. Slacken, o the adjustment slightly for the brake concerned.
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TIGHT NUTS
It a nut sticks screw a long wrench firmly on to the nut, hold I in position, and hit the end of the wrench smartly with a heavy mallet or gammer. Should this Isli run a little parafin round tue nut and then try once more. If still unsuccessful in moving
t
heat a pair of tongs till they are red hot. grip the nut with them till they cool down to black," than Care may be apply a spanner. necessary as to parts of the car where this treatment is applied.
!!
SHOCK ABSORBERS
The majority of motorists do not pay sufficient attention to the shock absorbers. Periodically, and particularly in wet weather when a lot of mud is thrown up- on them, the large end of the shock absorber should be taken to pieces, by withdrawing the centre bolt, and properly cleaned. The centre pln and washers should alco be lightly covered withi grease.
The shock absorbers are apt to tighten considerably if this pre- caution is not taken, particularly when an excessive load is thrown on to the pins and bushes at the end of the arms. It will be un- derstood that these remarks ap- ply to frictional shock absorbers,
CAR OWNERS'
CLUB
A Happy Band Of Brothers
Any owner of a Standard car- or a car which has a chassis manufactured by the Standard Motor Company-is eligible for membership of the Standard Car. Owners' Club. The banding to- sether of enthusiastic owners of a particular make of car is a praiseworthy fashion which las Expwn by leaps and bounds in re- cent years. Membership of such a club makes a real contribution to the interest and pleasure of owning a car.
The aims and activities of the Standard Car Owners Club are set out, fully and attractively. In a booklet which will be sent on request to any Standard owner of prospective owner.
fa
The club organizes trials and meetings in various parts of the country and during the darker months of the year provides in- door social events such as dances, dinners, -displays of motoring pims and so pp:
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These opportunities for meeting and discussing cars and their ex periences have already proved the value of the club-although it was formed only a little over a year. agó. A vigilant and enterprising committee, chosen by members'
11. yote, includes several high om- cials of the Standard Company, but a rule of the Club stipulates that at least 50% of the commit- tee must be private owners. The annual subscription is only half. a guinea and gives the
the right to carry the Club badge, which to zether with entrance fee costs an extra'5/-. On the badge is re- presented, appropriately, a Fo- İman standard bearer, ́carrying a Standard · similar to an actual specimen discovered in Essex in 1827 and believed to have been that of the 9th Legion, which aps stationed in Britain about: A.D. B in the time of the famous--or ip- famous Emperor Nero,
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1934.
MOTOR JOTTINGS
HOW IT WORKS AND WHY
Standards Are Easy To Maintain
The Lighting System DESIGN THAT HELPS THE
On some cars the cut-out is the only switch between dyname and battery. and then the dynamo always charges the bat- tery when its running at sufficient speed, usually corres- pcading to about 10 to 12 m,p.h. On other cars, however, a switch is also provided on the switch- board. so that the driver can disconnect the dynamo from the battery at will, for only when a circuit is complete can an elect- rle current flow through it.
room
That is why on entering a
at night we operate small switch in order to obtain 2 light. The switch bridges a gap in one of the wires running to the lamp.
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Starting Circuit
Now let us look at the starting preut, for this is very simple. The starting motor is of similar general construction to the dynamo, although It varies in detall, and when it is supplied with current by operating the starter switch the armature is On the end caused to revolve. of the armature shaft there is a small gear wheel or pinion which meshes with teeth cut in the rim of the flywheel, so that when the armature revolves it causes the Aywheel to revolve," and so starts the enigne,
The pinion on the armature shaft is so constructed that nor mally, when the starter is at rest. it is not h
engagement
with the flywheel teeth. but moves along its shaft and en- gages with the teeth when the armature begins to revolve, while
of it comes out engagement when the engine begins to run.
Owing to the growth of wire- less broadcasting, many people' now have a slight knowledge of the electrical accumulator, and the battery used on the car is exactly the same in principle es that used to supply the flament of a wireless Valve with current, An accumulator widely used for wireless purposes consists of a square glass jar containing two lead plates in dilute sulphurle acid, the top of the jar being sealed with a black compound and containing a stopper which may be removed so that distilled. water may be added to the sul- phuric acid when required.
The two fend plates are coated with different compounds of lead, and when the battery is being charged certain chemical chan- ges take place, while when reverting to their original, con- dition the chemical combinations formed during the charging pro- cess give out energy in the form of an electric current and the accumulator is said to be dis- charging.
It is therefore, not strictly true to say that an accumulator stores electricity, for what it really does is to convert electri cal energy into chemical energy during charging. and chemical into electrical energy during dis charging.
single cell" gives an electrical pressure of two volta, so that a six-volt battery has three auch cells, and a twelve- volt battery has such cells, joined one to the other. A hat- tery for use on a car has to be strongly made, and the case containing the plates is made of special moulded material, while a number of plates are used so as to obtain a large surface of active material a order that quite a strong current may be available when required.
&
Mention has been made of the fuses used in the electrical equipment of a house, and simi lar fuses are incorporated in the electrical equipment of the car. in order to protect the lamps. and wiring against any Tudden rush of current due to a short Icircut. A fuse consists of 2 length of special wire made of lead and tin which melts easily, and therefore breaks the circuit should too much current flow through it.
Wring Systems
The "wiring on a car is very. milar to that used in house
OWNER DRIVER
The motorist of 15 years ago, struggling with Innumerable grease cups and inaccessible ad- justments. used often to think and say that car designers qught to be forced by law to look after their own cars. In that way they would learn to make main- tenance work easy for the pur- chaser.
Years have gone by and, little by little the insistant demand from the public for fewer grens- ing points and routine attention borne at longer intervals Has fruit. The Standards of 1935 are almost above criticism in this due to respect. In part it is skilful design, in part it is due the employment of new materials.
to
on a
The sem.-elliptic spring, with Its exceptional efficiency, calls for at least 12 lubricated bearings normal chassis. On all Standards slent-bice shackles are used, thus more than halving number of grease nipples the usually found.
The transmission universal Joints-frequently so inaccessible that they are only too often neglected, with consequent serious wear-are of the new, Hardy Sp.cer type with needle" bear- ings. Totally enclosed, they can be left for long periods as they require practically no lubrica- tion.
The brake gear, of the Bendix Duo-Servo
separate type. has simple adjustments Bt each wheel, so that proper equalisa- tion, the secret of powerful skid- free braking, is easily attained. In addition the operating gear: is essent.ally straightforward, and beyond a general checking over at 5,000 miles should give no trouble throughout the life of the car.
"Soft" Drive
Running adjustments on the car are simplified to the
last degree owing to the exceptionally sensible placing of the carburet- ignitión ́ ́ ́ distributor. tor. and The latter, which is skew-drivep off the camshaft. presents its working parts accessibly and, owing to its position, the timing is not disturbed when the cylin- der head is removed. Dynamos are belt-driven an arrangement which not only gives a "soft" drive which lengthens the life. of the unit, but in the rare event of break-down allows for re- moval or replacement in a mat- ter of minutes.
li
The modern car is a wonder- fully reliable machine, but fal- hires do stili occur now and again, and it is pleasant to see the Standard Company breaking away from the modern trend to complication and designing, its cars from the owner's point of view. Such a policy may mean less work for the Service Sta- tions,
but it means a definite increase in that owner's praise, on which the reputation of a car is founded and grows.
wiring, except that its covering of insulated material is almost invariably protected against abras.on by a Rexible metallic sheath. Sometimes in place of two wires to every lamp there will be only one wire, but in this case the circuit is completed by the metafie portions of the chass's Itself. In this case the car has a single-pole" wring system, whereas when two wires are taken to every lamp it has
"double-pole " system.
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Naturally,
y, there are many variations in detail in the elect- rical equipment, just as there are other components of the car, but the principles underly- ing the various lighting and starting systems are the same. Sometimes, in place of separ- ate dynamo and starting motor, there may pe a single unit which performs the functions of both Thlé de usually described as a
dynamotor
SHOPPING
Down To The Shops In Cars
For somebody who lives in remote village, with only ita post- office to calls shop, the nearest small town many miles away. and deliveries few and far be tween is Impossible to cater properly unless she fetches the provisions herself. That house- wife is well advised to use the car for her shopping. And you. will generally find that she is the person who does her shopping by car in the raht way.
Very Ukely she uses her tele- phone, and then has only to col- lect the things as she goes past the shops. Or else she decides the day before what she will have on the morrow. Again, the parcels Are all ready for her" when she arrives. The tradespeo- "ple come out and put the parcels on the back seat directly they see the car draw up outside their shop; in either case everything goes without a hitch. She has no parking difficulties, por does she get aned for obstruction. Nobody is inconvenienced, and she gets through her shopping in no time.
Then there is a housewife who res in a small town which is also her shopping centre. She takes the car for her shopping expedition because it "amuses" her. Of course, she could, easily have everything sent. And if she really wanted to go and choose something she could walk. round to the shop in ove or ten minutes. This town is old and has narrow streets. There are strict regulations about parking. The allotted places for parking are a little way from the main Choroughfore of shops,
Preparation
"Why are you studying all those foreign languages?"
"I am expecting to move to New York to live."
NEW SPORTS MERCEDES
Streamlined Closed Two-seater
After years of stagnation the German industry is awakening afresh to the possibilities of sport cars and is developing a large number of interesting mo- 'dels, which are coming out one by one.
The Daimler-Benz Company, which controls the Mercedes- Benz production, has just intro- duced a 1,500 c.c. enclosed two- seater Mercedes, with engine in the rear, giving a good perform- ance. It is not unlike the pre- vious 1,300 cc. model in outward appearance, and also
resembles
it closely in the general layout with the exception of the engine position and engine design. A four-cylinder engine of 72 mm. bore and 92 mm. síroke, giving a displacement of 1,488 c.c., is employed. It has two overhead yalyes for each cylinder, these- being actuated by an overhead camshaft. Although bullt evid- ently to give a good performance for the fuel consumed, output has not been pushed very high, purposely, in "order to gain sta- nina and durability. The maxi- mum engine speed does not ex- peed $,000 rpm, at which 45 b.h.p. is given.
This engine is installed · im2 mediately behind the two well- upholstered and most comfort able seats in front of the rear
axle,
whereas in the 1,300 c.c. model it is to the rear of the latter. The final drive casing containing the diferential gears, with the enclosed articular- ed driving shafts pivoted on elt- berside, is fitted on. the clutch case," and behind it is flanged-on the three-speed gear box. with Vacuum controll- ed overspeed gear (of the May- ́ bach type). "The transmissión from the clutch to the gear, box- goes through the hollow' worm wheel, and returns from the gear box to drive the differential spi- der" wheel. The worm gear ́ is overstung,
0
The rear wheels are mounted
on the ends of tubular members haring turnnions on their inner ends, by means of which they are' pivoted on the final drive case, as mentioned, so they can swing only up and down, Thrust and propulsion as well as brake forces are taken up by these trunnloris. The shafts lying inside the tubes are provided with universal joints " aligned in the trunnion axis. The Independently steered front wheels are fitted "between the ends of two superimposed leaf springs, while the rear wheels are sprung by one coil spring for each, Atted between the tube enda and a bracket on the prongs of the rear fork of the central tube frame which holds the engine and transmission unit.
The radiator is mounted over the final-drive case. Access to the engine is given by two hing- ed flaps, which constitute part of the down-sloping rear roof and the sides. Their forward - edges are pressed out to form scoops, and, between the two flaps · Is a kind of groove on the roof, about eight faches broad, ter minating at the forward end in window and a small vertical merging at the rear into the down-sweeping lines of the beetle back, which is provided with a large number of louvres, which are found also in the side panels. The body is completely stream- lined and screen has a planting wind- merging into the head. Under the front bonnet is ample space for spare wheels, tools and luggage. Normally the latter can also be accommodated behind the seats, but for long-distance, com- petition work a large fuel tank is fitted which depicts & car that recently took part in a long en- durance run in Germany.” The arrangement of no fewer than five head lights inside the front bood is remarkable, and consider- ably reduces head resistance, as experiments recently carried out by a noted French professor: re- vealed.
TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUR TRANSPORT
DEAL DIRECT
THORNYCROFT
SEX-CYLINDERED
COACHES OMNIBUSES
MOTOR VEHICLES
DIESEL
OR PETROL
Pioneer Masṇfacturers of Commercial Motor
Full Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shanghal
4
For 6 Wheels
4 or 6 Cylinders
30 Cwt, to 10 Ton Loads
20 to 70 Passengers
JOHN L. THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED,
Pioneer Building, Nathan Road Kowloon,
TEL. 5615.
TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUR TH