1934-09-25 — Page 2

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CAR TRIALS

Case For An English

Grand Prix

The Alpine Trial, severest of touring events, the Franch Grand Prix, most important of racing events, and the Monaco Grand

Prix, most spectacular of all. events, are over. writes a corres- pondent, and this year's calendar holds only two more outstanding motoring competitions, the Royal Automobile Club's Tourist Trophy race in Ulster on September 8.- After that come the Paris Salon on October 4 and overlapping t by four days, the Olympia Motor Show. ,, H

have Another year will soon passed without any major Inter- national motoring competition. being held in England; without the England public having had any opportunity of seeing what first-class motor-car racing is like.

The English public has never had that opportunity. In- France, Italy, Germany, and nearly, all countries but England the sport of motor-car road rac- ing is recognised and pursued. But in England the law prohibits the closing of any section of pub- lic road for a race. Consequently road racing, which is the only genuine form of motor-car rác- ing, is never possible on a large scale.

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At Donington Park small-scale road racing has been going on for some time with success, and at Brooklands much Ingenuity has been exercised to simulate road Conditions the track. But" apart from an episode in about 1926, when foreign competitors were persuaded to come over for a bout of this imitation road rac- ing, the English publie has never seen the master drivers in action.

BRITISH RECORDS

In the small classes, British cars and drivers are unbeatable; as are British motor-cycles and their drivers; but in the large classes our drivers must use for-

THE HUMBER PROGRAMME

.....

Improvements In Well-tried Designs ·

Lieutenant-Colonel Cole, Chair- man of Humber. Ltd., announced this firm's programme for 1935.

"Steady development of the pre- sent well-tried design.. in order to approach the ideal perfection car. is." he declared "our policy.

"Consequently, while there are detailed improvements in coach- work and minor accesspries, no radical alterations have been in- troduced in the sixteen-sixty mo- del, the Snipe eighty, and the Pullman saloons. Chassis have been strengthened., so. that road and body quietness worth ness have been improved.

reduced Tax rating will be from 24 to £18 as from January 1. for the Snipe eighty and Pull- six- the 169 cars, while

Humper sixteen-sixty cylinder will drop from £17 to £12 158."

An

A NOVEL POINT...

A novel point in these Humber models, is the control of radiator shutters by the temperature of the oil in the engine base chamber. Engine

cooling is nine-tenths effected by the-all and not by the circulating water. so by this sys- tem more efficient cooling is done. When the engine is left standing. not running, the heat is retained, and thus prevents waste of ol frequent and petrol by the too use of the air choke in restarting. The latter is not needed för re- kept if the engine is starting sufficently warm.

The prices of the new Humber Six-Cylinder saloon cars are £435 for the Sixteen-Sixty "model. £40 more for the Snipe Eighty, and 725 Tor the seven seating Pull- The Twelve Humber mo- man. dels, are to be continued for this. further an- new season, but a nouncement will

made re- Olympia garding these at

eign cars if they are to stand a "mator show chance of success in major in- ternational contests abroad. Lord Howe, the Hon. Brian Lewis, Captain G. E. T. Eyston, Mr. H. C. Hamilton, Flight-Lieutenant C. S. Standland. Mr. Penn Hughes, and others have proved that they possess the necessary skill for winning these events. But it is almost always in foreign cars. For without the objective of first- class motor-car road racing in England, English manufacturers are not encouraged to produce.. racing machines.

Fortunately, however, there is" now. a strong probability that a first-class road course entirely on private ground will be available

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the South Coast by next year. If so, we may expect that a tremendous Impetus will De given to sporting motoring. One major race, with the Contin- ental experts such as Louis Chiron, Varzi, Fagioli, Von Stuck, Etancelin, and Benoist compet- ing, would be a sensation and an education for the English public, Its eyes would be opened to the remarkable spectacle that can be provided and, what I am always. -oncerned to point out, it would be educated in the methods of good driving.

INFLUENCE ON DRIVING Extraordinarily mistaken ideas Persist in this country as to what constitutes good driving. They are to some extent the result of - the absence of the leaven of road racing. It is true that a great many motorists are not interest- ed in the sporting side of motor- ng: but their methods at the wheel are influenced; consciously or unconsciously, by the methods of racing driveis, or rather by what they believe to be the met- hods of racing drivers.

I

Engisb said above that manufacturers are not encourag→ ed to produce absolute racing cars; but despite lack of encour- agement one organisation has produced certain racing cars which have shown high promise. These are the ERA. cars which performed so well at the last Brooklands meeting in the hands of Mr. H. Cook and Mr. Raymond Mays. They established two new. "Mountain" lap records in their respective classes (1,100 cc. and 1,500 c..) and showed excellent handling qualities, thus confirm- ng the good impression created by the single car.of this, make that took part in the British En- pire Trophy, race.

These cars now have a start which should be valuable to them the South Coast road racing

mature. course plans Moreover, I should not be sur

be

the

their racing successes on the Continent and in Ireisha and the Isle of Man in the past return to the sport and bulld special mac- hines if that road course' comés up to expectations. The names "of Bentley, Sunbeam, Talbot, and Vauxhall stand so high in the "estimation of the world: partly

On account of their great ac- · hievements in the earlier days of racing.

JOHN, COBB'S RECORD One of the notable things about the lap record of 140.9 miles an hour set up by Mr. John Cobb at the last blg Brooklands meeting is the tribute. it constitutes to the tyres. When Mr. Cobb first used this car on the track he was dogged with tyre trouble, chiefly on the off-side rear wheel, which is the wheel that does most of the work on the banking in eping the car down. The tyre experts studied the problem in- volved, and have now solved it as

they have solved so many difficult tyre problems in racing and re- cord breaking, and Mr. Cobb ean now put his big car at the Byfleet banking at about 160 m.ph. with confidence that his tyres will not betray him.

Another notable achievement at the Brooklands meeting was the "Mountain" lap class record set up by Sir Herbert Austin's su- percharged Austin Seven, drven by Mr. L. P. Driscoll. This is one of the prettiest racing cars I have seen and it handles peautifully. Its lap speed record for the "Mountain cireult was 72.37 m.p.h..

In, the Klausen Pass Hill Climb also, the Seven won its class. This is a climb of,13 miles of windin road, and the unlimited class was won by Caracciola in one of the new five speed Mercedes Grand Prix cars at the record speed of 52.13 m.p.h.

SPEED AWARD FOR WOMAN

(Special Air Mall Service) | London, Sept. 7. Miss B. Shilling, riding a Norton motor cycle, put up a remarkable performance at

Brooklands no Saturday when she did one lap in a three-lap race at a speed of 101 02 miles an hour.

She was awarded the Brooklands Gold Star, a distinction held hy only one other woman.

In a later race Miss Shilling was put on scratch on the same mark

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1934.

MOTOR JOTTINGS

Motorists And

Compulsory

First Aid Fees

RESENTMENT AT NEW

LEGISLATION

Quite remarkable bitterness has bern aroused by one particular provision of the Road Traffic Act, 1004: the provision for the pay- ment by the motorist, no matter whether he is to blame or not. o an emergency medical trent- ment fee of 12s. 6d."

1. was known at the time the Bull was being discussed that this provision was in it, and the point was clearly made in the House and outside it that here was a departure from precedent and a negation of justice as it In previously understood. this provision the determination to get the motor.st's money, no matter how, was revealed, It

was

was the modern equivalent of the old horse vehicle driver's slash Ir the face with a whip given to the motorist or no better reason than that he did not like motor- cars.

Yet the proy.slon did not bring any comments in letters from my correspondents until after it had become law. They wrote to me about the speed limit, about driv- ing tests, about the "silence zones," and about almost every matter dealt with by the Bill ex- cept this.

as

and made thoroughly tried trustworthy as it is possible to make any kind of machinery. The Aurt.n, Standard, and Rover programmes emphasise the trust- worthy element. Austins have their new gear-box with synchro- for second. engagement #mesh

third and top; but the system has been thoroughly proved in The Austin cars are also rather changed in appearance. but otherwise they remain essen tially the same cars that have gained the respect of so many

owners in the past.

1138.

The Morris programme will pre- sumably be based upon Lord Nuffield's,new system of speciall- sation and should be of excep- tional interest. Rovers have in- an automatic chass's troduced lubrication system which takes away from the driver even the the remains with duty, which ordinary centralised system, of occasionally depressing a pedal.

a

MORE NEW SEASON'S MODELS

Triumph and Hum- ber Companies

Lieutenant-Colonel C. V. Hol- brook. managing director of the Triumph Company, introduced the 1935 models of this motor manu- facturing firm to ah assembly of practical motorists, dealers and distributors at the Priory-street works, Coventry.

"Our Triumph Gloria cars," he remarked, "of both four and six cylinder range, will have larger engines, as we feel that the 35 per cent. tax reduction coming will into force on January 1. create & demand for higher powered cars. At the same time the 1,088 c.e. cars of four cylinders will be available for purchasers who desire to keep their cars in the 1,100 cc, class."

1,

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

Fifteen different cars. are now available. The four-cylinder mo- dela have engines of 1,232 c.c. capacity, rated at £11 up to December 31, and £8 5s. on Jan- uary 1. The six-cylinder cars now have a motor of 1,991 c.c. rating. £16 tax this year, and €12 next.

An the Triumph models for 1935 have built-in jacking systems. free-wheel preselection gear change, and a telescopic steering column, which can instantly be

adjusted for height. There Yet now the Bift has

become law it is this that seems to arouse the chief resentment.

the' One correspondent goes to length of saying that he will be in the future. to make unable. any of the "small but regular" has gifts to charities that he made in the past. now that he is

by being "openly robbed tha Government.

His is an astonishing outburst. Re

tile seems to think that doctors are in some way respolLS- Ible for the provision, and that he will be retaliating upon them by withholding gifts to

hospitals.

In fact, however, the doctors were not responsible for the provision. They were merely concerned to see that their servces did not go unrewarded. And certainly the hospitals have nothing whatever to do with the matter But when resentment boils up, as It is apt to do when injustice is commit"

is of little ted. rational argument avail.

The facts that the fee is * small one and that the motorist is often able to bear it without hardship is beside the point. So is the fact that the responsibility: for the fee will delegated to in- surance companies. The Tratte Act, 1934, may have many claims to notoriety, but its greatest will surely be that it was the first Act:

to legalise in- of Parliament Justice.

1935 PROGRAMMIS

Sobr.ety is the chief characte- ristic of the 1935 car prograin- mes, so far as they have been an- nounced up to the present. There are to be developments rather than innovations, and the car of to-morrow will be the car of to-day grown up, and not a

and new

troublesome infant which has been found-shall we say-under the gooseberry bush. For the purchaser 'who wishes to obtain with certainty the greatest possible value for money this cautious progress is admirable; but for the restless creature who is always crying for "new-born gawds" and who is impatient i his new motor-car does-not carry with it new sensations in perfor- mance or handling qualities, it is disappointing.

I have a sympathy with both groups of users. Its maddening to pay for a vehicle of transport and to find it an instrument of obstruction for it is better to travel slowly than never to arrive. But there is also a spiri- tual satisfaction in owning the "last word" in motor-cars, even if it is rather untrustworthy. Ope enjoys a reflected glory from the pioneers: one is helping to test new designs and to encour- age progress.

CAB TO BE TRUSTED

Little notice seems to have been taken of the reduction in

and there is no sign of tax.

higher powers. rush

towards There is. however, an extension of the plan, adopted by some manufacturers in previous years. of offering alternative engines in

same model "at the price. This gives scope to the purchaser who is bent upon gain- ing immediately the full advant- age of the reduced tax by obtain. ing increased performance.

the

same

It is fun early yet to make any sort of general review of the 1935 cars. because some have not an- nounced their programmes and the firms that nave are belleved "to be retaning one or two things

for the Olympia Show so that" they will have. something more to talk about then. But every- thing points to a year of develop- ment rather than innovation.

HEADLIGHT CONTROL

I am surprised to see an in- crease in the number of manu- facturers who fit foot headlight dipping control. This form of control constitutes a discourage- ment to use the gears and may be excellent for the ordinary touring car; but is not well suit- ed, as I think, to the sports car, The sports car driver often likes to change down for corners and bends, and In order to obtain' better acceleration, and the often moment for the change coincides with the moment when the dipping of the headlights is necessary. The two things can- not be done at once when there is foot control of the headlights; but they can be done at once, or almost at once, when there is finger tip headlight control. 1 admit, however, that there are enormous numbers of drivers who like the foot control.

sports model, their name for a car. Having recently won an Alpine Cup in the Alpine Inter- national Mountain Trials, they have embodied all the well-tested features of the past season's cars in their new ones, adding only. such details that experience, nak shown to improve them, both in speed, roadholding and comfort.

THE GLORIA "

Only a small additional charge has been made to the price of the new cars as compared with those of last season with less powers, speed and small engines.

The 9.8 horse-power saloon Gloria, four cylinder, is listed at £285, the 10.8. new engine, four cylinder saloon; £288, and the Vitesse saloon £320.

successful

All three of the Alpine Cup winning cars were on view to-day, still with their dust and numbers intact after their. triumphant success, crossing the mountain passes of no fewer than six countries. They made a fine contrast in their travel-stained

prised to see some of the English as a rider who won the Not much testing will be done state to the highly polished

firms that achieved renown for Grand Prix.

by the buyers of 1935 models These will all be cars in which crmponent has been

every

coachwork of the new models, which are well equipped with many useful attings.

are

also fitted windstreen sprayers, ·

All Triumph cars have four- gear-boxes with remote speed central

the control, and

new frec- models have the optional *wheel control near the geac change lever. "In place of the 'dashboard, as in last season's

models.

This year, also, the Triump Company have produced a Vitesse

(Continued on Previous Col)

MOTOR INDUSTRY'S

PROGRESS

Standard Company's

New Models

"Ard she shall have music wherever she goes" runs the old nursery rhyme,

дет

of the So will owners twelve horse-power four-cylinder De Luxe Standard car, as a wire- less receving set is included in its price of £250.

The programme of the 1935 models of the Standard Motor Company was announced by Mr Reginald Maudslay, the Chair- man, to-day at a display to some 1.200 agents and retailers at the Canley Works. Coventry.

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B.S

Feminine influence now pre- dominates in the latest designs of motor-cars, Rightly so Women all drive to-day.

In the latest models of the Standard Company they are catered for by musical entertain- ment at will,

change easy to gears, better safety control by automatic signals, and lighter effort required in ateering using the pedals for brakes and clutch. Even the Standard speed models are as easily handled by a girl as by a man,

INCREASED COMFORT

and

The new streamlined two-door saloon on the Speed ten horse. chassis caters for both power sexes as patrons of sports cars,

models Prices of all the new

are slightly increased by £3 to £10, as compared, with those of as extra the past season. But, equipment is provided which Imore than compensates for this rise in the cost of the nine. ten, twelve, sixteen and twenty horse- power cars, no one will complain of not obtaining good value for the cash expended.

cal gears, and optional free wheel or self-changing pre-selective gears at choice, make wheel changing and driving simpler

than ever.

One can buy the new Standard saloon cars from £145 for the Nippy Nine, up to £395 for the seven-seater six-cylinder saloon de luxe" twenty: with a very wide choice ..of horse-powers coachwork styles within two limits.

and these

GROWING PRODUCTION Judging by the comments of the dealers. selling the new Standard cars will be easy' busi- ress in the coming year, follow- twelve ing the past successful

than months, when no fewer 22,000 cars made by this factory were bought by the public. This is a record production for the company.

The Chairman, in his speech welcoming the visitors, stated that their policy was to build a really good car in each class and not the cheapest. They also

a med at seeing that these cars were bullt to suit the public de- mand, and at providing an em clent service organisation through Standard dealers for the benefit of Standard private owners. He was glad to say that their cars were now running in every quar-. ter of the globe. "

the P. Black. Capt. John managing director, replying to the toast of "The Company,” proposed by

Ronald Major Maude, of the Car Mart, inform- ed the assembly that they had in the sold 4,000 more cars year, and actually made and sold personal Coachwork and the

15.000 cars in six months. With comfort of the user have been the extensions and additions re- improved in various ways on cently made to the works, and these new Standards. Permanent new plant, they anticipated being able to materially increase ther Jacks fitted on the larger models fourspeed

gear synchromesh

efforts to give the public good changing with s'lent double hell cars at moderate cost

TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUR TRANSPORT

DEAL DIRECT

THORNYCROFT

SIX-CYLINDERED

COACHES & OMNIBUSES

MOTOR VEHICLES

DIESEL

OR PETROL

Ploneer Manufacturers of Commercial Motor: Vehlajos

Full Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shanghal

4 or 6 Wheels

4 or 6 Cylinders

80 Cwt. to 10 Ton Loads

20 to 70 Passengers

JOHN L. THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED,

Pioneer Building, Nathan Road Kowloon,

TEL. 56759.

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