¿CHEVROLET,
Bigger
and
Better
Still
Greater Beauty
/CHEVROLET
Smoother Quieter Performance
CHEVR
Thermostat Water Control
ROLET
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.
/THEVROLETZ
Economical Transportation
THE NEW CHEVROLET
IS HERE !!!
Comparison of the new 1928 Chevrolet line with other makes
in its price cinss at the New York Automobile Show brings out two salient points.
.1
The increase of four inches in wheel-base has enabled the Fisher Body enginċers to obtain a much better appearance between the height and length of the car. The new Fisher closed bodies are roomier, wider doors make it easier to get in and out of the car, and new beautiful upholstery material blends with 'really beautiful Duco finish. The Sedan body la approximately three inches longer and the Coach five inches longer. The rear end of the roof on the Sedan, Conch, Landau and Coupe has been rounded off to improve the appearance. The Fisher V. V. windshield has been placed in the Cabriolet and Landan, and ali have-new and very attractive colours,
Inside, the bodies have greatly increased leg room and greater comfort. All, the body fittings; regulators, remote door controls and locks have been improved in appearance and given a luxurious touch. The cars, are low with no sacrifice of rond clearance, and the lines are continuous and pleasing, with no break in the fine from radiator to tail light. They have a rich, substantial beauty and good taste throughout, With real beauty, every convenience and comfort feature that can be desired, plus performance that will match many much higher priced cars, they offer exceptional value,
Chevrolet competitive position by comparison is unquestion- ably stronger than ever, Only the best resources of General Motors and the mammoth Chevrolet manufacturing facilities could make possible so dependable, so modern a car at such low prices. The many manufacturing advantages of the Chevrolet Motor Company that pro absolutely unique in the low price car field are fully realized in the, new models. The savings made as a result of these unique advantages' is passed on to the public, offering the greatest dollar for dollar value in the history of the motor car industry, and providing a car with a lower passenger mile cost than any other car in the world-regardless of size or price.
COME IN
SEE THEM!
drive thEM!!
BUY THEM!!!
/CHEVROLET/
CHEVROLET/
Quality at Low Cost
THÍVROLET,
New Duco Colors
THEY
New Snubbing Springs
AIHEVROLETZ
Higher Narrower Radiator
CHEVROLETZ
Surer Faster Acceleration
Longer Lower Roomier
Four Wheel Brakes
THE HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE
(THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.)
SHOWROOM—–25, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL
EXPLODING IGNITION
FALLACIES.
TELEPHONE CENTRAL 4750.
one on which they reach as high slip ring, the production of ozone
PLAN NEW ROADS.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1928.
VAUXHALL CO.'S DEVELOPMENTS FOR, THE NEAR FUTURE.
NEW CAR.
Latest Ideas Which May Become Practical. Speed Without Noise.
Progress has been the keynote of lure very efficiently, and by deliver An entirely new enr of which the motorcar industry ever since its ing it under pressure greatly had an. interesting trial a short inception towards the end of the simplifies the problem of its equabla" time ago is (writes Mr. John Prio- 19th century; in the short space of distribution to six or eight cylin- Ican) the 20-60 six-cyclinder Vaux-3 years the automobile has developers. Furthermore, it makes it hall. I say new car, and not newed from an unreliable freak likely possible to employ less abrupt model, with intention, as, although to arouse derision to the most cume, as the valves need not elficient means of transportation be opened so quickly or for such the Vauxhall Company is one of the ever known. From time to time it long periods when there is pressure oldest in the British industry, and is suggested, that a state almost of behind the mixture. has produced some of the most stagnation has been reached in the famous cars built in this country chassis, but this is far from the development of tho motorcar the model on which they are chielly truth; in fact, the rate of progress concentrating for 1928 is an en- tirely new product, having little, if any, resemblance to the older series.
and rockers,
The Free-wheel Clutch:
Reverting to the transmission
is almost as great to-day as it has system, the development which is ever been. To mention only a few exercising the minds of practically. changes which have taken place dur-all the British car manufacturers at ing the past five years, there is. the the present time in the free-wheel fourwheel brake, the servo motor, clutch, which, placed in the trans- The new car has a bore and the low-pressure tyre, the jump in mission system, has the effect of stroke of 73 x 110, the overhead popularity of six-cylinder and eight-freeing the gearshafts and so great- valves being operated by push-rada cylinder engines, the fabric-covered y facilitates gear changing. The Except in one pár body, one-shot and central lubrica-free wheel is usually placed between ticular, the engine as a whole is tion systems and a whole host of the tailshaft of the gearbox and the
detail improvements. ..
propeller shaft, a friction clutch. bo very accessibly arranged and, con sidering the lowness of the price, remarkably well finished, The carburetter is rather unfortunately aituated, in my opinion, behind the steering-box, where, on inspection, it seemed as if it would be a matter of some difficulty to carve out, any necessary adjustments. Ignition is by American coll and battery, a system which seêma to be very ra- pidly catching up with the magneto, at any rate so far as iix-cylinder
cara are concerned.
Remarkably Quiet.
A four-speed gear-box with con- tral control is fitted, and, except that everything about it is remark- ably solidly constructed, the remain- der of the chassis does not call for any particular comment. Semi-el- liptic springs of good length and commendable flatness are Atted fore and aft.
There are three main features of this new Vauxhall which will strike the potential buyer. The first is the very remarkable smooth run- ning of the engine and the small amount of noise it makes even at
Neither
Important Engine Feature,
At the moment there are two outing employed in the engine flywheel standing developmenta under way, in the ordinary way, and it is then either or both of which may become found that, upon depressing the practical politics in 1929, these clutch pedal, the gear lever can be being the supercharging of touring placed in any desired position with- car engines and the modification of out difficulty, the transmission system to provide With a free wheel constantly in easier geur changing and a better action the car is at all times free to performance.
of these coast when the accelerator pedal is ideas is new, but only recently have released, but a control is usually provided whereby the free wheel they received much attention.
can be locked and the engine used as a brake if need be. Some con- cerns do not believe in this princíplo An outstanding feature of the of coasting, and are making experi petrol engine la that the torque (or ments with the idea of bringing the turning effort) which it is capable free wheel into action only when of producing at full throttle remains the clutch pedal is depressed, 1.0., practically constant over a wide using it to facilitate gear changing range of speeds between limits, for and for nothing else. Which of a touring ear, of about 500 rpm these systems will eventually sur- at one end and 2,000 r.p.m. at the vive remains to be seen.
Now the torque required to drive the car is always varying, and must be increased very considerably either for hill-climbing or for rapid acceleration.
other.
Use of Internal Geors.
Two Top Gears. The effect, so far as the driver is
In America the transmission pro- This is the reason blem is also being tackled, but on why a gearbox is provided, and only widely different lines. For several by a fairly free use of this compon-years three-forward-speed gear- ent or the provision of an engine boxes of orthodox design have been of excessive size can a really good universally employed on American road performance be obtained. cars, but at the last New York Show curtain chassis were introduced with Why a Gearbox is Necessary. four forward spends obtained by Now it is obviously ceonomically using an unusual type of gearbox high speeds. This new Vauxhall unsound to provide a very large en-The Motor some months previously. which was exclusively described in is advertised to have a good turngine, which, for the greater part of of speed, something well over sixty its time on the road, will only be miles an hour; but until you get developing a tithe of its full output, used to this very unusual noiseless and will consequently consume an ness of operation you will probably extravagant amount of fuel, so that concerned, is almost that of having he inclined to consider it an ex- the designer provides three or four two top gears, so marked is the de- aggeration. It is not a noticeably alternative "torque ratios"-ordin-gree of silence obtainable with in- powerful engine. It fleks up well arily called speed ratios--to enable ternal gears, and the change from on top speed, and the acceleration
an engine of more moderate size toftop to third and vice versa Is. Hoid on all gears is good, but I should deal with the variations in the re-to be very easy. First and second- not call it particularly striking. Itquirements of the car. Unfortun-gear ratios are obtained from a lay- is, however, the kind of engine you ately, the control of this gearbox shaft in the ordinary way, drive with very little sense of effort involves considerable difficulties to. Second only to these improve": and in complete comfort. You can the average driver, and these are ments in importance is the deve- keep the speed indicator needle at now being tackled in carnest with|lopment work proceeding fifty-five miles an hour for long very encouraging results and in suspension systems. The really periods without dificulty or fatigue. ways to which we will return later urgent need for an improve- I was unable to discover any vibra- in this article.
ment in riding comfort kas, to Home tion period up to sixty miles an hour, the highest speed 1 reached during the trial.
Best Brakes.
The second good feature is un- doubtedly the four-wheel brake het, operated by the pedal. 1 should class these very high indeed in the very exclusive list of the world's best brakes. They give one almost perfect control over the car, and, in spite of their great power and ability to bring
of
on
The next point is the reduction in extent, been hidden by the rapid the torque produced by tile touring-improvement in British roads and car engine when a certan speed is by the general adoption of two im- exceeded, which eventually causes portunt palliatives the low-pres- a falling-off In power and sets asure tyre and the shock absorber. very definite limit to the maximum At the last Paris Salon, however, speed of the ear. Here, again, a number of ears' were shown in better performance can be obtained which each wheel was sprung in by using a bigger engine, but at the dependently, rigid axles being ob- cost of an increased fuel consump-viated, and examples of this type tion. This is the main argument which we have tested show a re- in favour of supercharging, as by markable degree of riding comfort. forcing the mixture into the cylin-Independent wheel springing makes everything ders, the torque can be maintained it necessary to use certain special to a full-stop in a very short up to a much higher engine speed designs of ateering gear and trans- space
time, need very and the working range of the car mission, but, nevertheless, may well little effort on the
prove to be worth while in view of part of extended. the driver to operate. In mark- Superchargers have, of course, the excellent suspension obtainable. ed distinction from this. four-wheel been widely used for racing cars It is also possible to employ inde set, I thought, the hand-applied during the past few years, and a pendent wheel mountings in con- brake set very pour, but the de-start has been made by certain conjunction with pneumatic cylinders, monstrator informed me that it cerns, notably the Mercedes, Alvis, no springs being then needed. was only required for "parking." Lea-Franels, Amilcar and Riley Pneumatic suspension systems of In other words, the car has only companies, in their introduction to this type have survived extensive-
the general public. The products experiments and possess the import- one set of service brakes.
of these concerns which we have ant characteristic of a "dead-beat”. The springing, so far, as the tried show quite definitely that, in action, i.c., there, is no tendency to front passengers and driver are obtaining a better performance by wards bouncing and pitching. How- aware, is excellent, but it struck supercharging, flexibility, smooth ever, they are not attracting much me that the rear springs might running and easy starting are not attention at the moment. with advantage be slackened oft sacrificed, while the petrol consump slightly. At the time of my trialtion is not increased to any serious there were no passengers on the extent. At the present time there back seat, and it may very well be are indications that the motoring that the lack of their weight was responsible for the rather hard riding that I noticed from time to time.
Six Wheels for Large Cars. For really large ears it is quite public fa. rather afraid of purpossible that within the next year chasing and using these supercharg-lor so someone will be bold enough ed chassis,but when this hesitancy to produce a six-wheeled chassis on is overcome there is no doubt that the lines which are now so widely. an increase in the number of super employed for high-speed motor Another excellent point is the charged cars available will follow, coaches and buses. Prominent steering, which I should also re-
The supercharger is, of course, a characteristics of the six-wheeler gard as frat-class., it is extreme species of pump used to send the (in which both the "rear axles. are ly light so light, indeed, that I
mixture into the cylindera ander a driven by the engine) are extreme can imagine that not everybody pressure which may range between riding comfort and an almost coni- will care for it. Yet its steadiness 1b, and 10 lb. per square inch, so plete immunity from skidding. The is so pronounced, especially over that a greater weight of charge is two driving axles at the rear are rough surface and on bends, that it obtained and there is a correspond-set close together and are supported would really be difficult to criticise ingly greater force of explosion on by springs on a sort of pivoted bogle it. I should personally prefer it the firing stroke. Apart from this in such a way that they are very to be rather higher-geared, but that feature, the supercharger (particu- adaptable to variations in the road is about the only comment I have my send hawween the enrburet surfaces and impart, little move- to make on it. The steering wheel- struck me as too small for the size ter and the engine) chorus the mix-Iment to the frame of the vehicle, of the car, but I cannot say that the fact inconvenienced me in the price. Four hundred and ninety slightest.
$
Low Price,
Gear-changing is very easy, and
CREDIT TO BRITAIN. five pounds for the Bedford saloon,
More than a little credit for. which is a large and comfortable carriage, is a really low price for Captain Malcolm Campbell's won- a temperature as possible without and oxides of nitrogen which
the intermediate gears run quietly, a car produced by a factory of this derful world speed record on Day- being hot enough to cause pre- cause corrosion of Insulating
material and decomposition of roadway are to be built through-ample, there is no noise to con- tried is known as the Wyndham Maina, the designer of the About 8,000 miles of concrete At high speeds on third; for ex order. The particular model tona beach must be given to Mr. A most valuable paper on spark-ignition.
Thus the use of sports or racing bearing lubricants. Ing plug design was recently given
In general, too high a voltage out the United States this year, plain of. The car I tried was com- fabric saloon, which costs £666...B. Gear Syndicats, of 15, by Mr. E. A. Watson, before the plugs In normal engines is to be
ex- paratively new, and I am told that This, too, was a comfortable body Victoria-street. He designed the wonderful three-spoed epleyello this was responsible for a rather with plenty of room for long-gear-box which was fitted to the Institution of Automobile Engi-deprecated. These plugs call for from any cause tends to break according to transportation neers. One of the points dealt an extremely high voltage from the down the insulation and so gives
disagreeable period in the trans- with was the voltage required to ignition circuit as compared with rise to current leakage and dif- extra spark gaps in the ignition mission at certain speeds, but that legged passengers and their minor Napfer engined car. In addition, The variour details of the brakes of the Rubury-Alfrod circuit, with the object of ofther another couple of thousand miles the equipments are well-devised and Alder type, which are made in cause an efficient intensity of plug of normal touring design: ficult starting.
The use of plugs that keep un- He deals a low at one rather epark at the plug points.
and of 'good class, and the car as a England by Clyton Wagons, He showed that it is a mistake necessarily cool, and also the set-popularly-advertised type of preventing, sooling or rendering would see its disappearance.
the Ignition current visible, The third striking feature of the whole strikes one as a workman- Limited, played their part magni- to use a plug whose electrodes do Ung of plug gaps needlessly wide ignition gadget by saying that because they Introduce undesir-now Vauxhall is undoubbadly its like job
ilcently,' not get hot enough. The ideal is apart, encourages pitting of the motorists should beware of using ably high voltages into the circuit.
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luggage.