1933-11-14 — Page 2

Page

1':

ABOUT ROAD BEHAVIOUR.

Slow, Selfish Drivers

Who Exasperate

For some

time

now one has read about "cutting-in merchants" and read hogs, and I cannot retrain any longer from

putting the other side of the ple- ture before your. readers, writes à correspondent to the auto" car,

I am not suggesting that there no road hogs, but I do de-

are

19

finitely say that the number greatly exaggerated. There is a

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1933.

SPARKS

FROM THE PLUGS

MOTOR-CARS AT

OLYMPIA

Popularity Of Medium Sixes And Eights

Three or four years ago accord- The Armstrong-Siddeley Twenty, Dally Telegraph Motoring Cor-models of this make in the recent ing to Mr. A G Throssell, the which has shared with the other respondent, the full-sized car with striking improvements in locks and engine of 18 to 25 h.p. was the comfort, is notable to-day as one standard motor vehicle of the of the few closed cars on which average owner-driver. Now, after the driver's vision is not sacrificed the period of depression, there are

SOME RESURRECTED "NOVELTIES"

And Recollections Of Pre-war Fittings!

much more numerous and danger. I signs of returning favour for the car costs from £535, and perman-winiently among British produc-

class are again appearing...

ous type of motorist on the road-larger car, and new models in this the reckless, dithering dodderer, usually of the male sex and of the

To deal with the newcomers

tions.

·

Exaggeration may be held to lie in' the axiom that there is nothing new under the sun, but there is also a measure of truth therein, and one reminded of this "in

as of the British motor reading a letter from Mr. J. van Hooydonk, who is one of the old industry, and who was responsible for the design and manufacture of the Phoenix motor vehicles-motor cycles, three-wheelers, and care in some degree to appearance. This that at one time figured so pro- ent jacks are to be had on several models.

Mr. van Hooydonk recalls that in Rover still retains the 18 h.p. 1911 the Phoenix car had that ancient and sour variety, many of rst: Vauxhall now have a Bs Meteor, which now is £438 sa a sa-"modern" feature, a locker in the Six as team-mate for the very sue- loon, and the "Speed Twenty." rear panel of the body to house cessful Light Six introduced last which did so well in the R.A.C. the spare wheel. There was also June. It has a 20 h.p. six-cylinder Rally, costs, with the attractive a hidden reserve of petrol and oll engine, and a really roomy five-Hastings" coupe body, £495. ünder the foorboards, correspond- seater body. The Vauxhall syn- chromesh is fitted, of course, and Crossley have a new 16 h.p. model, ing with the petrol reserve of now known as the two-litre, with 2 up-to-date cars. Front-wheel "no-draught" ventilation: the high-class road performance. It brakes, ordinarily considered an wholechassis is automatically tu-.

has the Wilson gear-box, and as innovation of the past few years, bricated from the engine, and a five-seater sports saloon costs were fitted to a small car by Mr. there is a degree of stream-lining £695 The Silver Crossley, also of van Hooydonk as far back as 1905, in the saloon bodies. The stan- £16 tax, is £525 with the Wilson but they were discontinued be- dard, car costs £325, and seven-gear-box, and the 21h.p. Super-Six seater limousine is available, on a limousine is £875. The now fa- longer wheelbase with a 27h.p. en mous stream-lined model will be gine at £550.

dealt with in my next article.

whom claim that they have been driving for umpteen years, and who have painfully obviously never learnt anything since the first year. Sometimes their vehicles are of the same vintage as them-

selves.

Most modern motorists know the type of person I mean-the" "can't get on, won't get off kind, self- appointed regulators of trafic. Let a driver go as slowly as he likes, but refrain from obstructing, keep well in, and wave others on. Some times, when the main roads are crowded, you will find a string of these merchants sitting behind a lorry, and when someone hasn't the rest of his life to spend on the road does what they call "cutting in," the Press is full of

who

`Additional Features

The new Standard sixes, of 18. and 20 h.p.. are most up-to-date. The Hillman Waard of gore is! Their engines have "buoyant"

mounting. their gear-boxes are. replaced by a new car known as the Sixteen. It has a six-cylinder synchromesh and silent on second

ruse of an idea gaining currency

that the front brakes were pro- vided because the rear ones were ineficient.

Oll level and petrol level gauges have been adopted for a great many cars more or less recently, and hailed as a commendable no- ty: they were, however, on pre- war Phoenix cars, but were discon-

thelr moans. I frequently pass in side-valve engine of 15.7 h.p. (16) as well as third, they have free-tinued because of potential buyers

this manner, but never on a wet day or to the danger or embar rassment of an oncoming driver.

I am a staunch believer in sen sible Safety First, and would pre- fer to walk rather than endanger the lives of pedestrians especially children--or even animals; but to hang about behind dithering dod- derers no!

I have owned a driving licence for over twenty years, and should think I have averaged a hundred miles per week during that period, chiefly within a hun- dred miles of London.

Motor Insurance in Japan

Tokyo, Oct-To help the faml

tax) with "cushioned power" wheeling. and permanent four- mounting, synchromesh plus (on all except the "family" model), free-wheel, and "cyclonie" induce tion. The farmily salcon

costs £259, and may be had at same figure with a 21 h.p. engine, the de luxe saloon is £295, and there is a good range of attrac- tive body styles.

the

Of the larger Austins the Sixteen

is notable as the only model at present to be offered with the Hayes fully automatic, infinitely variable gear as an optional fit ting at £40 extra. The car, which shares the regular Austin improve ments, synchromesh and the rest, and has also adjustable back seats, is now to be had with either a 18 or, an 18 hp. engine at prices from $295 to £348. The Twenty (£24 tax, now in its fifteenth year of production, is from £515.

An entirely new overhead-valve engine with overhead camshaft has been atted to the Single Two-

wheel jacks. The Sixteen five-sea-fearing that the gauge glasses ter saloon de luxe is £275 and can might break and allow petrol and

all to flood the car! be fitted with a 20 h.p, engine at the same price, and the Twenty One of the most remarkable in with longer wheelbase and seven-stances of this revival of old ideas seater body is £395. These engines came to my notice during the war. are also used in the well-known S8. cars, which are separately shown.

The A.C. reappears at Olympia after several years' absence. The first of British light-sixes, it is now re-designed with

A four-speed gear-box in the normal position and underslung frame with cruci- form bracing. Prices are from 2435.

Cars From Abroad

Most of the cars from abroad are in this class. To take the Empire arst, the Buicks are those which have been on the English market most of this year. Both 28 and 36 h.p. eight-cylinder chassis

had concern, strangely enough, with Mr. F. Lionel Rapson, of Rap- son tyre fame, whose death occur red week. Rapson during the ar lavented and patented a ball- bearing screw-jack for cars, but the War Office took up the idea for application to anti-aircraft guns and other purposes, and forbade Publication of the patent specifi- cation. After the war Rapson claimed a sum as royalties from the Government; the amount was agreed upon, but at the last ma- ment prior to settlement somebody discovered a patent specification about 100 years old relating to the very same idea that was peculiar enough, but more remarkable was

" to

have automatic heat control lies of those killed or injured in motor car accidents in Japan, a litre model of £18 tax, and this carburettor, automatic clutch new automobile insurance regula has given it a much improved per- withdrawal and free wheel, and tion has been drafted by the La-formance. Two good-looking sa- three-speed synchromesh, and the bour Section of the Social Bureau loons are shown each costing £295, saloons have no-draught ventila- of the Home Department,

While

fact that the patentee was F. Rapson's grandfather.

the largest Singer, the tion The smaller the "Viceroy Car Industry Thriving

The new regulation aims to in- "Silent Six," of 18 h.p.. costs £100 is from £485 and the "Master" demnify victims of automobile ac-more. All these cars have free-with 11ft. Gin. wheel-base from cidents through a national insur-wheeling.

ance system by charging all motor There has been less chassis

car Ownera monthly fee of

1 Yen 1.50 to Yen 2, In case of ac- cidents, families of those killed will receive a maximum of Yen 250 from the national treasury, with a minimum of Yen 24 for the disabled.

Chauffeur and drivers will also benefit from the new ruling which proposes to compensate those un- able to work with a daily allow- ance of Yen 1.50. Another feature

of the proposed regulation will be exempt from all blame coming from civil courts in case of acci-

dents.

£825.

EVER

change in the three big Morris Chrysler likewise, have automatic MORE CAR ORDERS THAN Sixes, the Oxford, Isis and 25,"clutch, free-wheel and synchro- than on the rest of that famous range, but they all have in addi- tion to the synchromesh gear-box, a free-wheel and Bendix automa- tically withdrawn clutch, which really does make driving a matter

mesh as well as "Hoating power": engine mounting. There are three 20 h.p." sizes, costing, as saloons from £325 to £429, a 26 h.p. six at £485, and "eights of 34 hp. at from £635,

of gear-lever, accelerator and Essex Terraplane" models have brake pedal only. The front seats won fame this year for amazing have an armrest and the interior acceleration. -There are three equipment has been otherwise in chassis models, two sixes of 17 and Ox 21 h.p. and an eight of 27 hp., and creased. Typical prices are: ford saloon, £285; Isis five-seater prices for the complete cars range coupe, £370; "25" saloon, £395.

from £306 to £415, or, in the case The two Humbers, the 18/60 and of the special Railton Terraplane, Motorcycles with side-cars and other motor-powered vehicles can the Snipe and Pullman are alter- £499. The Hudson Pacemaker sa also take advantage of the pro-ed in looks by a new sloped radia loon with 29 h.p. 8-cylinder engine

tor and lengthened bonnet as well is £600, posed ruling by paying one-third. of the regular motor car fees. as new body-lines, and they are all Basle compensation sums fol- fitted with synchromesh, free- wheel, built-in jacks and direction indicators, and a new type of ra Man killed, Yen 350; Woman diator shutter. The 16/60 (£17) Yen 250; child Yen 150. In cases tax) costs from £405, the Snipe where the car involved in the BC (£24 tax) sports saloon, a striking cident has been taxed Yen 2 monthly instead of the usual Yen and individual car, is £550, and 1.50 Insurance premtim Ven 100 ilman from £795. is added the above basic figures. Compensation for injuries la di vided into 14 classes ranging from the maximum Yen 450 to minimum

low:

Yen 20.

NEARLY 40,000 MILES FROM A SET OF TYRES...

The prospects in the motor car industry this year are bright, ac- cording to the reports of Birming- ham firms.

In the first week following the sunouncement of their new models, the firm orders received by Wolseley Motors were more than double those- of the corresponding week last year, which was in itself a record for the Company..

A similar encouraging report comes from the Austin Motor Co., where it stated that demand is considerably in excess of last year.

LEA-FRANCIS CARS FOR 1934

No changes are being made in are mounted in sliding roller boxes, Lea-Francis cars for 1934, and the instead of with shackles, this mount Free-wheel and vacuum-operate range of models is to be continned ing reducing aide play to a minim ed automatic clutch are also new at unaltered prices, with the excopum. Another feature in the steer features of the Wolseley Sixteen tion of certain of the 12-40 h.ping, which is particularly steady and 21 h.p. "County" model. The types, which are slightly increased owing to a design of stunt axle which wheelbase of the former has been

The complete programme is assets the centre line alightly to the lengthened five inches to give more body room. All Wolseleys again follows: 12-40 h.p. Lea-Francis rear of the king-pin axis. The Lea Bosst hardened cylinder liners for chassis £200, two-seater and four Francis gear box is arranged in two long wear. The Sixteen saloon seater tourer £310, four-ssater de compartments, an that there is a ∙costs £330 and the County £415.

luxe £240, semi-panelled aloon £370, fixed head coupe £006; 11-lie obussis 2450), four-seater £550, Tourist. Trop two-seater 3550, chsasis £350, COLOR

Body Improvementa "It may, interest your readers to know writes a correspondent to a Few changes have been made in saloon 2560

the larger Lanchester, the 18 hp, semi-j Home paper that I have run a

six, but the bodies, of which three built set of Dunlop tyres (ordinary, not specimens are shown, have been 2000, four-sei Fort) for 38,900 miles on my Alvis Improved. Prices are from 2595 to Coupe £450, Ouach sports two-seater, with only two £675. The game policy marks the p-15g. punctures. These tyres were on new Talbot programme, and some appr the car when I took delivery of extremely handsome bodies are to reli It, new, at the Alvis works, Cav-‡ be seen on the firm's and coach- stand entry, on August 1st, 1930.

builders stands. The "75" (£18 BIO tak) is from £495, and the "95" rigidity and "105" (60th £21 tax) range developed.

the spe from £645 to £795.

The pattern on the tyres is now scarcely discernible, but there is plenty of thickness of rubber left.

bearing close up to each train of goer wheels. The engine of the six- cylinder model in particular: is "a very clean, modern design for high efficiency. Trolined overhead valves arsist in machined combustion chambers with smple water spacing ruid the valve ports and sparking plug bosses The valves themselves sre operated by an overhead cam“ shaft mounted on Tour needle bear ings, and the camshaft is driven by twin chainn,

ALCOHOL AND

He main-

MOTORISTS

The ancient question of "what, in the blood represents the level constitutes drunkenness has been at which life is endangered. and revived by the pronouncement of, would be produced by the taking a divisional surgeon at the Lon- of 14 points of proof spirit or two don Sessions on the "five stages" gallons of beer, supposing that it

was drunk within a short time. of drunkenness,

A state of moderate intoxica- on, induced by 153 per cent of alcohol in a man's blood has re- sulted from taking four pints of

with a meal the concentration of beer on an empty stomach.

If the same amount were taken

the blood would be retarded, and the proportion in the blood would not rise above 1 per cent.

I discussed this problem with a medica-legal expert. tained that the dimenities which have arisen during the last few

ness can be ascribed to two causes years in the courts when motorists have been charged with drunken- the refusal of the law to recog- nise degrees of drunkenness; and a neglect hitherto of tests for determining accurately the соп- These facts show how difficult it centration

of alcohol in the 15's to rely upon ordinary tests for sues of an accused motorist, to es- ́drunkenness, and that it is im- 'tablish the degree of alcoholic in-portant that the law, should now toxication.

consider the question of degrees of drunkenness in their relationship to motoring.

Even when such tests have been performed the courts have been reluctant to accept them as de- nite proof of alcoholic intoxica-

on

By Degrees.

A famous physician once stated that the four stages of drunken- pess could be considered under the headings:

(1) Jocose: "(2) Belicose;

(3) Lachrymose; and (4) Comatose.

An American medico-legal ex- pert's delnitions were even more

.d:

(1)

Dry and decent; (2) Delighted and devilish; (3) Delinquent and disgust-

ing:

(4) Dizzy and delirious; (5) Dazed and dejected;

(0) Dead drunk..

Each of these stages depends on the amount of alcohol in the

ad,

Need for New Tests

My Own medico-legal friend pointed out that a concentration of more than 8 per cent, of alcohol

A

A MILLION MILES'

· MOTORING

"I have driven a car a million: miles in twenty-six years without: ever having, an accident, was the claim of a Blackpool motorist. who was lately fined £1 and coats at Fleetwood Sessions for driving a motor car without due care, "The Auto car"}

.....

DUNLOPS AND INDIA It has been announced that the Dunlop Rubber Co. is to acquire. control of the India Tyse and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), which.

મ

has submitted reconstruction”:” scheme to shareholders under. which 2.350,000 new one shifting. ordinary shares of the. India Tyre Co. are subscribed for at two: shillings a share by the Dunlop Rubber Co. "The India Company will continue manufacturing at fochinnan, retaining its indivi- duality.

SHOCK ABSORBER

FOR YOUR

BANK ACCOUNT

A. A. U.

MOTOR CAR INSURANCE

A. A. U.

A

TELEPHONE

30234-5

"ASIA LIFE. BLDG.

TRUST A THORNYCROFT With Your Transport

DEAL DIRECT

THORNYCROFT

SIX-CYLINDERED

COACHES &

MOTOR

OMNIBUSES

VEHICLES

DIESEL OR PETROL

Pioneer Manufacturers of Commercial Motor Vehicles

Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shangh

4 or 6 Wheels

4 or 6 Cylinders

80 Cwt. to 10 Ton Loads

20 to 70 Passengers

JOHN L THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED,

Plour we Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon,

TEL. 50184.

TRUST A THORNYCROFT With Your TRANSPORT