The Choice of the-
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.
G. W. R.
L. N. E. R.
and
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
for their new
RAIL-ROAD SERVICES
THORNYCROFT
SIX-CYLINDERED
COACHES & OMNIBUSES
Preferred by experienced users!
Further particulars of our Lorries, Vans, etc., for 11 to 7 tons, and Coaches or Omnibuses for 20 to 45 passengers forwarded on request to :— JOHN I THORNYCROFT, & CO.. LIMITED.
UNION BUILDING..
FIFTH
FLOOR.
Write us and our representative will call.
DEAL DIRECT,
HONGKONG
Telephone Central 4831.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE REAL COMFORT MAKES
You'll notice it first when you settle yourself comfortably into the deep-cushioned, form-fitting scat and stretch your legs in its roomy intérior. You'll be still more deeply impressed when you take a drive and discover how its four Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers transform even the roughest roads into smooth-riding boulevards. And you'll appreciate the complete restfulness--- the final touch of fine-car luxury—which results from a rubber-cushioned chassis, u silenced interior and a new, vibrationless 55-horsepower engine. Come drive the car that thousands are buying. Find out what a difference real comfort makes!
Roadster...... ....M$2,500.00 Touring Bedan (2-door)
.M$2,500,00
Sedan (4-door)
.M$2,600.00 „M$2,800,00
The Dragon Motor Car Co., Ltd.
Telephone Central 1246 or 1247.
33, Wong Nei Chung Road, Happy Valley.
OLDSMOBILE
PRODUCT OF GENERAL
HA
BINE
MOTORI
GAR.
0 1
LOW
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY
TWO-SPEED CARS NEXT?
A Suggestion with Multi-cylinder Engines of High Power.
."
An Emergency Bottom Gear.
the
Long and bitter has been the climbed steadily with this 8-to-1 battle of work waged between the ratio, and sleeper gradients are protagonists of the three-speed seldom encountered, except by and four-speed types of gear-those who live in very Hilly box, so that it seema almost districts, suicidal for the writer to leap into the fray with tho suggestion that, for the average It is, of course, admitted that. Jazy motorist, given an engine with there must be an emergency bottom six or more cylinders, rated at 18 gear for occasional use when get- hp. or so, 99 per cent, of the ling away from a standstill on a mileage can be accomplished using particularly covere slope, or for two speeds only. Theas limita [climbing an extremely steep road tions should be remembered before such as may be encountered in criticising the arguments which Devonshire. In other words, for follow; the writer is not referring the powerful multi-cylinder car the to the sporting motorist who likes writer would like to see a re gear changing, or to the small four- organized type of gearbox with a cylinder car on which at least direct drive on top, a particularly three forward speeds must easy change down to a dead silent ordinarily be used. It is on the second gear and with emergency large chassis with A smooth, first-speed and reverse-speen geara, flexible engine, developing a high it being understood that in torque at low speeds, that the lazy normal courge of driving it would driver finds that a wide range of,he necessary to employ only the ratios has become unnecessary, Lop and second-speeds ratios.
The average man will not change There are many ways in which gear if he can avoid it, and with such a gearbox could be designed. A big flexible engine it is surprising For example, internal goare could how much can be accomplished on be used to give silent running for a back-axle ratio of about 5 to 1 the second speed, selected by an without using the gear lever. Jeaelly manipulated dog clutch on Most cars of this type, for example, plan similar to that employed for can quite readily be driven over the Graham-Paige gearbox. Alter- long main-road journeys, such as natively, an epicycle gear could from London to Carlisle, of from easily be arranged to give the top London to Southampton, without and Recond speed ratios without touching the gear lever from start complications and with only one to finish.
Ibrake band. In elther case a short Indeed, if a three-speed gearbox (layshaft carrying ordinary spur be fitted, it will usually be found gears could be incomported which that from 15 m.p.h, or so upwards, be employed only occasionally for the acceleration on second gear is the emergency bottom gear ratio not appreciably better than that and for reverse, obtainable on top gear, Similar General improvement to the remarks apply to getting away roads provide a further argument from a standstill; with the modern in favour of these plans for the highly effelent and smooth single farge and powerful type of car, plate clutch a car of this type will because; generally speaking, much move of perfectly easily in second higher average speeds can now be gear, even up-hill, and the time kept up owing to the re-grading of taken to reach 20 m.p.h. by this hills, the straightening of corners method will be found practically and similar alterations. Identical with the time which is required If the driver starts in bofton gear and change up to second.
our
of Some rearrangement views concerning gearboxes is obviously chiled for when the specifications of modern cars are This is partly because the gain elesely examined. Any impartial in tractive effort obtained by using investigator, for example, must be a lower ratio is offret by mechani-surprised to and that on nearly all cal lossen and by the increased low-powered four.cylinder cara, power necessary to accelerate the where the engine really needs the moving parts of the engine. Again, assistance of a number of genr changing from one gear to another, ratios, only three are provided, necessarily occupies a second or and, indeed, in one popular, small two.
ear two speeds are considered
Then as regards hill-climbing, if sufficient. At the other end of the the middle ratio of a threc-speed (sgate big cars with six or more box is about 8 to 1. then on a jeylinders are to be noted, with powerful car it is seldom that a transmissions providing four for Lower ratio will be needed. On one ward ratios, two of which, the which the writer.has in mind, a writer makes held to claim, are El as steep as one in seven can be [scarcely ever needed.
LIGHT CAR RECORD. sert a cloud burst flooded the
Perth to Sydney in 196% Hours.
TRIUMPH'S ACHIEVE-
MENT.
country making the going so boggy us to be almost Impossible. Only the veteran "P. W‚'s" grit and the anbelievable power and endurance of the Triumph won them through. Mount Gambier anw, thèm still) rashing into driving torrents. So much rain fell that the ronds were not discernible, and to escape a sudden plunge into some hidden river they 'phoned to Against every conceivable Casterion for a guide. The guide obstacle Mr. P. W. Armstrong re- arrived, but though he knew the i cenfly drove his standard Triumph country like a book he too, got Super Seven roadster from Perth astray. Experienced men of the to Sydney in record time. The district said it was impossible to Triumph finished in perfect con- got through; but P. W. Armstrong dition.
had other ideas. He knew Wils Torrid' heat, blistering sand Triumph and he had confidence in storms, innumerable punctures, himself. After a terrific struggle obliterated tracks, torrential rains, they ronched Casterton. floods, mud, cold and 80 m.ph. The run to Melbourne, though cyclones! All these the Triumph not by any means pleasant, was had to fight against. In all Mr. juneventful. They arrived at 4.35 Armstrong's wide experience-hop.m., Saturday, October 6. A hot is 65 and has crossed Australia bath, a good meal and four hours four timeshe has never en- rest put the pair in sound heart, Countered such a run of bad luck, and the drive to Sydney was con- Yet against it all his Triumph tinued. battled through 10 brilliant Buccess,
It was their misfortune then to strike the cyclone which swept The party left Perth at 2am Victoria over the week-end, Inte Sunday, September 30. The first the teeth of the 80 m.ph, hurricane 24 hours took them 589 miles to they charged. For 12 hours they Bulladonia. There they had to fought it and won through to take enough petrol to last them the Albury. During this run they had 679 miles to Fowler's Bay S.A to detour on occasions, to get It was during this critical stage around trees uprooted by the storm that they lost their way through and flung across the rond. sand storms erasing the track. At 8,30 a.m, on Monday, October An aborigine was approached to 8, the great test ended. Sydney wuide them, but as they would not was reached after 196% hours of take his "Jubra" he refused on the the most appalling conditions. score that someone would run off The Triumph was in perfect order, with her during his absence! the drivers though fatigued to one after another, enough to make exhaustion were feeling well.
Over the whole distanco the any one despair. During one day car averaged 40 miles per gallon they mended no fower than of spirit. Much of the route was All this ate up their time which low gear flogging through axle meant extra speed to keep near deep sand. The only replacement their schedule.
whs a broken fan-belt.
Then punctures harassed them,
Between Fowler's Bay and Such a searching test gives con- Penong, the Port Lincoln railhead, crete proof of the Triumph Super they got lost so often that 22 Seven's sultability for hours were wasted. In one place roughest work the worst Austra they held council to decide on the lian roads demand,
track. On they wont and five
hours later they ran into-tho
exact spot they debated in!
KEEP ROADS CLEAR.:
the
Adelaide, 1,748 miles, Whs reached at 10 p.m. on Thursday During the winter of 1927-1928, Oclober 4. After a 4-hour. rest more than 4500 snow plows kept they proceeded. Just prior to 111,655 mites of highways In 36 entering the Infamous Coorong de- American states free from snow.
2.
1929.
THEY ARE HERE AT LAST! THE FAMOUS "F.N."
GILLET D'ERSTAL
AND
MONET & GOYEN MOTOR CYCLES
DO NOT FAIL TO INSPECT THESE OUT- STANDING VALUES, THE GREATEST
.EVER OFFERED!
+
THE FRENCH MOTOR CYCLE CO.
46, NATHAN ROAD, KOWLOON.
THE
MOTORUNION
INSURANCE Co 13o
Incorporated in England
(Under the auspices of the Automobile Association),
LIBERAL BONUS FOR CAREFUL DRIVING.
LOCAL AGENTS.
THE UNION TRADING Co., Ltd
Phono C. 578.
York Building.
Ownership of the New Hupmobile CENTURY SIX
Implies Dignified Exclusiveness
There is dignity in Hupmobilo's Century Six.. Dignity in its in- pressive beauty. Dignity in the way it answers the driving controls. Dignity it its superior ability on the hill, the unbanked curve, the yawn. ing, spoed-inviting rond, The Cent- ury Six, with is moderaly compart, extra-efficient engine, its cata und lever steering system is perfected aleeldrnulju four-wheel kruites,, sul its hydraulio shook shanrbore, gives performance you will be unable to dupliente oven Chere'yents from now,
Bole Agents:
Dragon Motor Livery Service
Proprietor: C, F. PAU ·
84, Des Voeur Road Central Tel. 3552 and 482.
Prest O-Lite Battery
Patteries are all that the name implies. REST-O-LITE Super Service storage
Exceptionally powerful and long lasting, they are made of the best materials that can be assembled.
The separators in this battery are made of especially selected and treated cedar- for high porosity; reinforced with hard rub- ber strips-for strength and durability, Other features of construction combine to make it the most powerful and lasting battery that has yet been devised.
Prest-O-Lite Super Service Batteries will give you far greater satisfaction and prove much more economical 'than, any other: battery you ever used.
THE HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE 25 Queen's Road 0. #74, 0.4769.
A-6BRH