1931-04-16 — Page 10

10

THE

CHINA MAIL.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1931.

MOTORISTS+THIS IS YOUR PAGES

IFISK

AIRFLIGHT

PRINCIPLE TYRES MEANS MORE

mileage

GUARANTEE TO OUTWEAR ANY TYRE OF EQUAL PRICE WHEN RUN UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS.

Obtainable at all garages upon request,

Sole Distributors :

GILMAN & CO., LTD.

Telephone 28011.

Hong Kong Bank Building.

Time To Re-tim

CITA FISK!

CAR DESIGN.

Where Britain Leads

and Fails.

By A. G. Throssell, Dally Telegraph

Motoring Correspondent.]

years ago; in fact, it was, I believe, first developed in Britain, and if we failed to appreciate its virtues the makers are not to blame.

Germany's Move.

Germany's experiments are more interesting. Front-wheel drive we

ап

ON THE ROAD.

The Humber Snipé.

If

1,704 MILES. Tour by Ford Transport Plane.

of the plane

fuel used, therefore the tappets should be inspected to see that. there is a gap between the bot tom of the valve stem and the tappet head when the valve is closed and the engine hot. Every now and then there ap- there is no gap when the cam is A Ford trimotor transport plane, high-speed equip- have known of for years, thanks to pears a new car which, without any at its lowest position the valve fitted with new

the reduction of head Are we contributing our share to the courage of one firm which ex-striking novelty of design or un-will not seat properly, and, of ment for

feature, proves acourse, will not be gas-tight. The resistance, has just completed a the improvement of motor-car de- perimented with and exploited this conventional

from the very start. At result of both these defective 1,704-mile tour at an average apecd slyn, to the process of developing form of transmission; but it was winner. the ideal car? Although a period mainly for racing and a far from once you hear on all sides that it is tappet adjustments will be that of 128 miles per hour. Government of acute depression is scarcely cheap car. Germany seems to be a wonderful performer of amazing more petrol will be used to cover oficials at Washington participated favourable to the introduction of developing the front drive for the value for the price, and these swift a given mileage than would be in part of the tests new ideas, manufacturers in other sake of economy as much as for its verdicts, so curiously unanimous, the case if the valves were in which gives indications of ability good order. The gap should be to greatly accelerate scheduled air countries seem more eager to adopt mechanical advantages, such as they are nearly always right.

Such a car was the Humber between two and three thou-line travel by permitting increased Of three front-wheel drives at innovations in design and break are.

Berlin two were on cars of decided- Snipe, when introduced in the sandths of an inch when the en-intercity cruising speeds. The tour away from the conventional.

was from Detroit to Washington, In America half a dozen of they popular price a two-cylinder Autumn of 1929. It immediately gine is hot.

created a new standard in car Misfiring will cause an increase New York, and return, with several leading makers have suddenly and two-stroke costing £85, and simultaneously decided that motor- otherwise conventional "four" cost-values, and, what is more, it set a in petrol consumption. Intermit-alde trips.

fashion. Because of the success of tent misfiring is not always easy The fastest leg of the tour was a ists want easter gear-changing, and ing £180. But if we are to give up the Snipe the medium-powered Bri- to detect; a defective plug may flight between Langley Field, Vir-

the normal arrangement of orgine that the free-wheel device is an and driving axle the weight of the tlah car has been given three or spark in small throttle opening ginia, and Washington, D.C., a dis- amusing and attractive way to

four more horse-power, with effects conditions, but may fail to functance of 135 miles. With Major prac- satisfy them. In Germany the re-argument, theoretical and

on the performance far outweighing tion with the higher compression Hugh J. Knorr, commanding officer tical, seems much In favour of cent Berlin show has evinced a moving the engine to the rear, as

the extra £3 or 4 tax.

obtained with a wide open throt- of the Second Bombardment Group, similar sudden and simultaneous Sir Dennis Burney does.

Eighteen months' experience in tle. Plug points burn away at the controls, the plane carrying the lands of the public has shown slowly, and therefore the gap re- a pilot, nine passengers and con- for change, this time in

About the advantages of indepen the desirability of only minor modi- quires occasional adjustment. siderable baggage, covered this lap favour of front-wheel drive and in-

dently sprung wheels there la no dependent wheel springing,

here I think British fications. The 1931 Snipe in all its The length of the spark gap has in 55 minutes, at the rate of 148 dispute, and Here there has been nothing com.

car-makers have laid themselves main features is identical with its some bearing on fuel consump-miles per hour. The slowest leg parable. The only novelties at

mile jump from open to a charge of neglect. Firms, predecessor, but one of the changes tion. Sometimes the ignition ad- Olympia were plethoric hubs and have experimented; but, in spite of has quite definitely made a good car vance and retard lever does not Newark, N.J., to Cleveland over the similar fads of fashion. There were the example of

better.

move the contact breaker Alleghany mountains against a world-famous fewer "unusual" cars shown than

Instead of a plain carburettor through its full movement, with strong head wind. The plane nogo- Italian car, which has established for many years, One might con- the complete success and reliability with an open-air intake there is now the result that the ignition tim tiated this lap in 3 hours, 50 min- a downdraught carburettor with an ing may be late, never being fully utes, in apite of the adverse wind, of front Wheels independently

sort has airfilter and hot spot. As a result advanced. Late ignition will at a rate of 105 miles

per hour. hitherto been produced. sprung, nothing of the

the engine is protected from dust overheat the engine and also be on the home flight to Detroit from The usual excuse is that for our and road grit, as one built for ex- the cause of more fuel than Cleveland the same day, the plane fine roads the exieting system of port should be; it has got rid of the necessary being used. Clutch slip, covered the 115 mile lap in 50 will cause fuel con- minutes, at the rate of 188 miles resilient leaf springs with shock former air hiss at high speeds; it of course,

move

clude that British manufacturers were elinging to the conventional design, too cautious to give inven- tiveness an innings. It is true that

details.

absorbers to limit their action may being started up on a cold morning; often nowadays that one experi

is ready to pull very soon after sumption to increase. It is not!

be old-fashioned, may be wasteful,

and its response

to the

WAS the

404

B

the

Cumberland, Md., when

and 55 minutes, at a rate of 138

The past ten or twelve months have seen the adaptation of the hydraulic clutch to the ear chassis and of

per hour.

On two other occasions, the plane streamlining to Its body, ideas of first-rate importance but isolated

throttle ences a slipping clutch, but slip averaged 138 miles an hour or bet may be unequal to really rough go-pedal is of that hair-trigger sensi- will take place when the lining ter on long jumps. One was the instances of enterprise.

Generally the industry seems to ing. but is good enough.

Now that we are seriously try.veness which doubles the pleasure wears to the extent where the outbound fight between Dayton, O., be satisfied with the car as it is

of driving.

rivets project. Badly adjusted: and to seek improvement only in ing to sell our cars abroad it is no

and The most noticeable other altera-brakes are also a cause of fuel and Washington, via Vandalia, Pa., longer good enough. For South

tion is that the gear-lever is now wastage. If the shoes are not Of course, the novelties of Amer. Africa, South America, and other central and American in style, and clear of the drums when the hand plane covered 405 miles in 2 hours fea and Germany are not really now. Paris where rute and potholes sup that almost every other control is or foot levers are in the off post-miles per hour. A 73 mile jump The tree wheel was given a good ply most of the road surfaces, a car on the steering wheel. The brakes tion, the vehicle will require a between Camden, NJ., and Newark trial in this country a couple of with wheels that can independently are better-just as powerful but greater effort from the engine to

Accommodate themselves to the bumps and hollows would have a for a British car exceptionally low-marks apply to an engine which of 140 miles per hour.

smoother in action-the steering is propel it. All the foregoing re- was covered In 31 minutes, at a rate huge pull over its competitors. It geared and almost too light.

The plane which made this record has been economical in fuel con- Is & standard Ford 6AT trimotor looks unfortunately as if we ahall

sumption, but has gradually or

powered with Wasp engines. It not be the first, or even the second, In the field with

was fitted with the new high-speed a cheap and

suddenly become extravagant. satisfactory system. The Ameri-

equipment comprising refinements cana are experimenting and hard

in fuselage design as well as engine at it. The Germana

ring cowlings, all aimed at the re- are

duction of head resistance to permit cars,

greater speed in flight. During the tour the average speed of the three

Motor. There are oven 2 which is the German Austin Seven, for consuming too much fuel. kaining popularity, remarks The engines was 1,700 r.p.m., a normal few gait, while fuel consumption aver- has now no front axle. And Ger- There are engines which "eat" many, hitherto negligible as a car-petrol in spite of carburation be-standard sports cars which really aged 65 gallons per hour.

look fast whatever their capacity producing country, is now ahead of ing as good as it can be. Such in speed may be. Generally speak without the high speed equipment, as having a high us, not merely In these points of engines are defective either in ing, however, the enthusiast who has been rated novel design, but in cheap produc-design or workmanship, and no- wants the aero-dynamics of his speed of 135 miles an hour, not tion. The new Opel, Germany's thing that the user can do by ad-

coach-work reduced to the nth greatly in excess of the average popular car, is a six-cylinder of justment will reduce their appe- degree, and insists on multicoats speed recorded on the recent tour, about 15 h.p., which as a saloon tite for petrol. This type of en- of paint and varnish to reduce skin and a cruising speed of 112 miles with sliding roof sells at £135. gire however, is rarely met with friction, has got to have the body per hour.

Ito-day, and in nine cases out of built specially.

ARRIVING SHORTLY

A NEW LOW PRICE

DODGE

STANDARD

QUGDES LYNCH, TUES

TRUCK

FOST FORCE-FEED

SUBR CANON

Now you can buy a Dodge Standard Truck with pay-load capacities up to 4000 pounds at a sensationally low price. It is typically Dodge in dependability, in looks, in speed, In power and ability to serve its owner long at low cost.

SOUTH CHINA MOTOR

MOTOR CAR CO.

33, Des Voeux Road Central

Tel. 25644,

Tel 25644.

now producing small and cheap care

FUEL CONSUMPTION

Faults and Their Remedies.

ب

FULL STREAM-LINED CARS.

Slowly but surely the cult of the

яз well There are many cases in which streamlined ultra sports body

as big expensive ones with Indepen- dent suspension. The B.M.W., a petrol engine is unjustly blamed

But Britain is waking up.

is

The standard 6AT transport,

The tour started at Ford airport, was shown the new 8-cylinder ten heavy fuel consumption can A number of enthusiastic Dearborn, Mich., carrying the party Hampton. It is a low-built aport- be reduced to a reasonable quan- motorists are now greatly interest to Dayton and Washington. From ing car of only 17.8 hp., and its tity by correct adjustments. ed in fully streamlined cars, an the latter city an 80 mile round trip great feature, la that all four road There are instances in which an incentive to which has been given was made to Baltimore and return wheels are independently suspended, engine in good running condition by record-breakers' cars like the in 40 minutes, at a rate of 120 It is rear-driven with pivoting driv-gradually, or it may be suddenly, "Golden Arrow" and the "Blue miles an hour. Several days later, ing shafts, and the front wheels are develops excessive petrol con- Bird." One or two have been built, the plane cruised to Langley Field, at either end of double transverse sumption. The causes for this springs.

The car, with a fine saloon body, costs £575, and a "six" on a similar chassis is to cost £475; but I am told that independent auspension is no more costly than the ordinary system. Its superiority is beyond dispute.

"

and others are now construction.

In course of via Louisa and Richmond, covering

190 miles in 1 hour, 43 minutes, at are several, and though there is a tendency to suspect the car-

At the moderate speeds possible the rate of 111 miles an hour. The buretter at once, it is rarely blameworthy, and it is advisable on British roads the gain in miles party then returned to Detroit, via when investigating fuel wastage per hour is actually not of much Camden, Newark and Cleveland. to postpone experimenting with importance. The power that can this instrument,

be saved is, however, considerable. The first step is to ensure that A roomy saloon car requires, in the consumption figures obtained round figures, 50 b.h.p. to drive it IS LAYING-UP ECONOMICAL? are reasonably, accurate. It is at 60 m.p.h. Fully 86 b.h.p. of this power is necessary to over- not sufficient to assume that there

If the re- Interviews with motorists who are, say, 10 gallons of petrol in come wind resistance. have laid up their cars have dis. the tank unless that quantity has aistance could be halved, which is closed, after due consideration, been seen poured in, or knowing quite feasible by scientific stream- that what they were told they the capacity of the tank, actual-lining, the total power required at would gain in theoretical savings ly seeing it full. The next step 50 mp.h. would be reduced to 32 as regards wear and tear was is to ascertain whether any fuel b.b.p. At higher speeds the differ- wrong, as more money was spent can escape before reaching the ence is more marked, for the re- on alternative methods of travel carburetter by making certain sistance Increases with the square and recreation (says the Mel- there is no leakage from pipe of the speed. No doubt the chief bourne Herald).

unions, taps, and filters. Test incentive in designing and build- One motorist who laid up his the float chamber feed-valve to ing streamlined cars for ordinary car, due to the popular cry of see that the fuel supply is cut off use is the pleasing appearance ob- "stop notaring," found that he when the correct level is reached. telood, and in a car intended for had actually expended nearly £8 To do this, cause the needle to ad-fast Continental touring it has its in the month more than in the mit petrol to the float chamber practical value as well. previous month when he was until the correct level is slightly Petrol will then run operating his car, and it was hot exceeded; possible to calculate in values his out of the jet and drip from the losses through waste of time. carburetter body. These drips

Mr. Victor Riley, chairman and Before laying up your car "for should quickly become less fre economy's sake" figure out quent and finally cease, showing managing director of Riley (Coven- whether the move actually will that the needle valve has seated. try) Ltd, in the course of his save money and remember that Having carried out these tests speech at the recent shareholders' the average car carries five per and found no leakage, it may be meeting, said that whereas our sons for the same cost as it car-assumed that some function of overseas possessions annually took ries one.

the engine is not being performed some 800,000 cars, Great Britain While laid up there fa to be correctly if the fuel consumption supplied only 10 per cent of this total: If this country could recap- considered the interest on the is higher than it should be. capital cost of the car, continued An engine will go a long time ture but a quarter of the total, market price depreciation while without being cleaned of carbon, production would be doabled, twice laid up, and the actual deprecis-but if it is desired to keep the the number of men would be em- tion (deterioration) of tyres, the petrol bill as small as possible the ployed and still lower prices, would battery, and other parts.valves should be ground to their prevail in the home market. He Also the registration fees and seats every two or three thou-pointed out that the small car was insttrance usually have been paid, sand miles covered. The timing coming into its own, and in this Land these represent lost money of the opening and closing of the market Britain had always led the

for the periods the car is laid up. valves affects the quantity

BRITISH CARS OVERSEAS.

SINCERE'S

MOTOR

CYCLE

DEPT.

REMOVED

ΤΟ

PRAYA

SIDE

OF

The Building

(Ground Floor).