1935-06-18 — Page 2

Page

2600

ON THE ROAD

The Hudson Six

constant-mesh

body;,

on an

REALLY FAST CAR

GENERAL SPECIFICATION The reserve of power is such that "Engine--Six cylinders, alde valves, the same cruising speed can be cooling by pump and fan with hiaintained

ordinary thermostat by-pass control, 6-volt gradient as on the level. cell ignition with fully automatic control. Carter down-dräught car-

As well as being Bexible, this is buretter, thermostat choke and

also really fast car. By speedo- mixture temperature control, 125 meter 80 m.ph. in one direction amp.-hour battery, controlled-out-

and 89 m.p.h. In the other over the put dynamo, power unit flexibly same stretch of road were obtain- mounted at three points with coll ed, and subsequent checking of the spring dampers. RA.C. rating 21.6 speedometer showed an error of hp tax £16 10s., bore 75.2mm., less than 4 per cent, so that the stroke 127mm., capacity 3455 c.c.

car is capable of a genuine speed Transmission-Single plate cork in excess of 55 m.p.h And this Insert clutch in all, three-speed despite a roomy and comfortable gearbox,

second gear, ratios 411, 6.6, and 9.9 to 1.

These high speeds do not have Control from steering column by

ger-tip lever, operation by elec- to be struggled for, as the accelera- trical and vacuum mechanism, "tion figures prove. Thus 20 miles open propeller shaft semi-Boating per hour is reached in 3.0sec, from A standing start, 30 miles per hour rear axle with spiral bevel drive.

Brakes--Two-shoe Bendix type in 5.2sec., 40 miles per hour in with full compensation on all four 81sec.. 50 miles per hour in 13.1sec. wheels, Inverted hand lever below 60 miles per hour in 20.3 secs, and

70 miles per hour lu 29sec. dash applies rear-wheel brakes.

From steady 10 miles per hour General-Cross-braced frame with torward box section, sheet-steel the Agures were:- platform bracing, all-steel body Speed- with steel roof, axleflex front sus- M.p.h. pension, semi-elliptic springs front and rear, piston-type hydrauite shock absorbers, anti-rolling bar attachment between rear axle and frame springs enclosed in gaiters.

Dimensions-Wheelbase 9ft. din.. track 4ft 8in., overall length 15ft. 6in., width 5ft. 8in.. height 5ft. Sin., turning circle 40ft.

Models and Prices--Saloon de luxe £360, special saloon de luxe £375.

!

Makers-Hudson Motors, Ltd., Gt. West Road, London, W4,

Local Distributors-Cameron and Campbell, 173-177 Bothwell Street, Glasgow.

10-20 10-30

10-50

Gears Second. First- Top. 3.1sec. 2.0sec. 1:953ec. 7.6sec. 4.5sec. 4.2sec. 10-40.11.2sec... 7.8sec. 15.8sec. 11.8sec. This car is a 'pleasure to drive as well as ride in. and cannot fall to appeal to those who, like a car of this type with ample accommoda- tion and exceptional performance. It handles delightfully, all the con- trois being light.. Steering is really good, being steady at the highest speeds, while suspension is all that could be desired at every speed and on all surfaces, while it is per- fectly steady on corners.

The brakes, 100, are smooth in SPECIAL FEATURES

action, yet have a real grip when The 1935 Hudson models embody they are urgently needed. After a number of very interesting' run with this car the last surprise features, of which the system of is perhaps its price. At £360 its gearbox control is the most value is certainly outstanding in notable. The makers describe this its class

a

des the electrie land". On an

extension beneath the steering

wheel on the right there is a

miniature gate with a finger and RAIN SPOTTING

thumb level. The gear required is. selected by this in the ordinary way through a system of solenoids, and the actual movement and en- gagement of the gears is then car- ried out by a vacuum cylinder con- trolled by a diaphragm.

The gearbox itself is of normal type, but the control gear lever is detachable, 50 as to leave the front compartment entirely clear as the hand brake is inverted and mounted beneath the dash on the offside. This gear shift appears complicated. but actually It is straightforward and contains no parts liable to give trouble.

Another feature is the front suspension systein known as the **axleflex." This embodies the usual semi-elliptic springs and a system of parallel 'links replacing the central portion of the axle, which seems to provide a very practical compromise between fully Independent wheel mounting and the conventional sxĨe. At the rear rolling is checked by a torsion bar connected to the live axle.

.

The latest Hudson power unit retains its low pressure trough lubrication system, but the cylin- der heads have been redesigned for a higher but still moderate compression, while power output has also been increased by valve improvements.

BY

On The Enamel

On several successive cars in my ownership I have noticed that, although I have given the black enamelled mudguards precisely the same attention and treatment with wax polishes as I have de- voted to the coloured cellulosed panels, including the bonnet, the enamel soon becomes rain-spot- ted through or in the wax film, whereas the waxed cellulose re- sists this form of deterioration- from rain-water, even though it be allowed to dry naturally, writes a correspondent.

"I have dried off the mudguards with a leather immediately after returning from a run and have left the cellulosed panels wet, but still the enamel has been found spotted next morning and. de- manding fresh waxing to clear them, while any sign of dried rain. on the cellulose has been removed by a rub with a damp leather.

DIFFERENT PROTECTIONS Why this difference in the pro- tection afforded by a wax film on stoved-enamel and cellulose res- pectively? That is a point I have been trying, to determine. The difference has been evident with every

make" of polish-wax or otherwise that I have used; and ly simple, and the control can be...have tried a good many. I have

FINGER-TIP GEAR-CHANGING

The operation of the gear- change at once interests the driver of this car. Actually it is extreme-

used just as an ordinary gear~ change, or the "next gear cần be pre-selected, as the actual change is not made until the clutch pedal is fully depressed, this movement completing the circuit actuating the solenoids as well as deblutch- ing while the change is made.

At normal speeds nothing in the nature of double-clutching 13 necessary, although this is pos- sible, and the change is effected in complete silence.

A safety feature is that the en- gine cannot be started without de pressing the clutch pedal, and this ensures that the gears actually are the neutral when the finger-tip level is in the corresponding post- tion. This delightfully simple change definitely adds to the pleasure of driving a car which possesses many other charms,

The notably efficient engine does Its work without any apparent effort. It provides an ample power to weight ratio it actually de- velops 93 hp-giving a sports per- formance with complete smooth ness and allence. There is never any suggestion of mechanism beneath the bonnet, and the car really can be described as "drift ing" or "waiting" along the road.

written to the makers of some of the polishers, and they have not been able to explain it or say how rain-spotting could be pre- vented on enamel.

One firm ignored my statement that their wax on" cellulose was satisfactory, and gave me a leng- thy explanation as to why a bon- net will rain-spot when other panels do not. But my cellulosed bonnet does not deteriorate in this respect, so the explanation was not called for.

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1935.

MOTOR JOTTINGS

CARS OF TO-DAY

Alvis Firebird.

n

The Alvis Firebird, based on the former 12 h.p. Firefly but with a rather larger engine and the 4- speed all-synchro-mesh gear-box

the.. introduced originally

and Speed. Twenties, is a fast highly efficient car of a distinc tive character.

In

аге

The 4-seater body is comfort- able. gives adequate vision, and has four doors and four side win- dows; there are a sliding roof, ventilators in the sides of the "scuttle, a screen which will afford electric a direct view, tandem wipers and slip pockets on the

The two cupboards doors. rather small and the wheel arches might be padded where they act as elbow rests. A tunnel runs through the centre of both floors; at the back there are deep wells. It is possible to get to the driver's seat from the near side and there is reasonable entrance all round. although with the driving seat well forward the offside hand- brake lever" when "on" cuts down foot room a little for exit that. side. It is, however, easy to slide the seat back. At the rear there is a luggage boot; the door when let down forms a platform. Tools are either side in the boot. In a car of this price there might be ashtrays

tion

ex-

On the near side of the 4-cylin- der overhead pushrod-operated valve engine are the neat induc- tion with a semi down-draught carburettor, the forwardly placed exhaust pipe, which leaves cellent accessibility to the lubrica- components, the large oil ller with an inset gauze and a breather pipe, the" relief valve, the pressure filter, and the "float level indicator, Drainage of the sump is by a plug in the bottom. The timing is at the back of the engine, and the camshaft and auxiliary drives are by a duplex chain which is self-adjusting. The cylinder block is separate from the crankcase. The engine and single-plate dry cluch are held at three points on flexible corical rubber mountings, a method ad-- opted by the company in 1925... On the dash are the petrol electric pump with a flexible pipe to the carburettor, the jack, oil cart and su forth, and on the off-side of the coil. Of this side' are, driven from the back and in line, the vertically driven make-and-break and

distributor, the generator." and on the front of the last the water pump, which has a self- adjusting gland. The starter is enclosed below. Other electrical parts are handy. The cam steer- ing box is well set up. Drainage of the water. as with that of the engine oll, is not convenient. There are grouped nipples for lubrication under the bonnet.

The gearbox, which has a short, handy central lever with an out- side sprung reverse position constant mesh gears on all four ratios with all forward changes made by synchro-mesh mechan- "ism.

The drive from here goes by an open propeller shaft with needle-bearing universal joints to a fully-floating spiral bevel-driven back axle. The braking system comprises 141n, diameter air- cooled drums and four brakes worked by pédal of hand lever; they are adjustable while driving. The suspension is by half-ellipti- cal springs with frictional shock absorbers. They are greasenlled leather gaiters and the back springs Bre underhung. The frarne is doubledropped. The equipment includes constant volt- age system, dipping reflector head lamps eléctrically operated with the offside lamp switch controlled from the centre of the steering wheel, twin electric horns which help to balance the frontal ap- pearance, a radiator heat gauge? a. clock, and revolution counter.

ON THE ROAD The engine is well balanced, likes high speed, and has a good heart. On a car like this, third

I wonder whether any of my readers can suggest the reason why enamel will rain-spot when cellulose does not do so; or tell there to be used and is a suit- me of some polish that will not show rain-spots on enamel when left to dry naturally. If there is a solution of this problem I dare. say there are innumerable other motorists besides myself who will be glad to hear of it.

able ratio, yet the engine is no shirker even at 15 to 20 miles an hour on top. Acceleration from such a load is best obtained with third, when it is rapid. The run- ning was well up to the high Alvis standard, Sixty and even 65 miles an hour are 8000 Incidentally, I hear that certain

motor manufacturers reach on the level, and 70 American

was attained fairly soon and are using a new kind of "paint" in place of cellulose. It is said against breeze and gradient. At the rate, the engine pulle to be prepared from synthetic

The clutch resin and to give a surface with a sweetly and quietly procelain-like finish, without re-worked well silent straight- quiring the burnishing that is through changes can be made

owing to the synchro-mesh;" needed to give cellulose its gloss.

WHAT IS PETROL?

Explanations For The Motorist

Years ago in quite the early days of motoring, the correct an- swer to the question forming the title of this article would have been: The motor spirits produced by Messrs Carless. Capel and Leonard, the old-established oll refiners of Hackney Wick, London, says a correspondent in a London daily.

At that time "Petrol" was the registered proprietary name 01 the brand of imotor spirit pro- duced and distributed by the firm mentioned One never heard then of "Shell petrol" or "Pratt's petro!," but "Shell motor spirit" or "Pratt's motor spirit." though admittedly one never asked for "Petrol" when one wanted' to make certain of getting the Car- less spirit, but for "Carless," Just as one now specifies the brand alone, when a particular "make" of petrol is required.

But for some reason or other, all kinds of motor spirit in due course were advertised, and known as "petrol," and when discussion arose a year or two ago as to the proprietary rights of the word. Messrs Carless announced that they had long since waived their claim to its sole and exclusive use.

Obviously the word is an ab- breviation of "petroleum" and in view of the foregoing the reply to the question "What is peti 31?” is Dow: An easily vaporised spirit. derived from petroleum of or crude petroleum The latter in turn. is a complex mixture of hydro- carbons which, as it comes from wells in various parts of the world, may range from a dirty. looking brown-black fuld, almost like tar in consistency and sp- pearance, to more or less clear green liquid not greatly dissimilar in appearance from certain fubri- cating oils.

Crude petroleum consists of molecules of various sizes, the smallest ones representing petrol, for they are more readily vaporis- ed than the others; some of the latter eventually become kerosene, others light fuel oll, lubricating oll, grease, and vaseline, while the remainder form the heavy fuel olls required for steam boilers in place of coal and for heavy oil en- gines, such as those applied in- creasfhgly of late years to ship propulsion.

*

PROCESS OF DISTILLATION All these various petroleum pro- ducts are combined or associated in the crude of. It is the func- tion of oil distilleries to separate. them.

Originally, the only pro-

though the 'ever was a shade stiff on occasion, and the springing allows the machine. to hold the road. Hydraulic shock-absorbers would improve travel in the back at low speed, but as the seating is "rather forward in comparison to the axle there is no pronounced or undesirable motion The steer- ing at low speed on lock took rather more force than I like, as did the brakes also by pedal, but the steering is light and arm in the ordinary way and the brakes in effect were even, Räther bet- ter-response-is-given with appliça- The tion by hand both ways. spring wheel is well raked, but the left-hand spoke rather obscures the speedometer. The general controls are 'sultably placed.

Practically 40 and 60 miles an hour can be attained on second and third, and, as I say, a good 70 on top. when the engine is in- no way stressed. These rates with an engine well under two Litres capacity are clearly satis- factory. The roads were dry and there, was the usual load but the breeze was against the car On the upgraded stretch the 15 was increased to 60 miles an hour, the 30 at the foot of the 1 in 221- Dashwood Hill was raised to 56, and with a standing start on. third at the foot of the rough- surfaced old hill the top". WES passed at 30. m.ph This Firebird has graceful and clean lines. is a pity that the spare wheel has to be carried in the nearside. front wing. The four-seater drop-head coupe costs the same price and the sports open four- seater is less A choice of 12 colours for the body and six: for the upholstery is offered. The body can be finished in any two and the wheels to match the up-

holstery

cess by which petrol was taken that from the crude oil was known as distillations

In its simplest form this, pro- cess resembles the applied to the preparation of distilled water. The

closed all is heated in a vessel having a tube passing from.. the top through a cooler to a re- ceptacle to take the distillate. At "comparatively low temperature the smallest molecules of the oil are vaporised; the vapour passes off through the tube, and as it cools is liquefied and falls into the receptable mentioned in the form of a highly volatile spirit- ke...petrol.

Continued and increasing heat cause the larger molecules the "heavier fractions"-of the crude O to be separately vaporised and Equefied: but before this happens the receptacle for petrol is. removed and displaced by others in succession as and when required by the nature of the pro- duct "coming.over."

INCREASED YIELD BY "CRACKING" Distillation provides what is known as "straight-run" petro, and the process originally en- abled all the motor spirit requir- ed to be produced, without diff- culty in finding a market for the heavier

that products

"come over" after the petrol.

But as demand for and output of petrol increased, the other pro- ducts-the residues from the pre-

sent viewpoint became excessive and still more excessive in volume Telative to the demand for them.

Eventually what is known as the "eracking" process was 'evo!- ved. and nowadays & it hes largely displaced distillation" in fuiflling the world demand for petrol. After distillation of the crude oil the residue is subjected to combined heat and pressure. temperature being higher than that required for distillation.

the

MOTOR NOTES FROM GREAT BRITAIN

A Magnificent Showing

Lord Wargrave was in a happy position at the recent annual meeting or Rolls-Royes Ltd., for he was able to present for the second year in succession 34 counts showing new record' re- "sults' and an increased distribu- tion to shareholders. At £291,- 611. the profits were almost £75,000 higher than the previous record established in 1933.

The chairman stated that the turnover of the firm's chassis for 1934 showed a satisfactory In- crease over 1933, while in addition there was the very substantial turnover from Bentley chassis. Taking the latter into account, the chassis turnover for 1934 was nibre than 45 per cent in excess of that for the previous year.

INCREASED EXPORTS

The year's results show that," in spite of serious Increased re- strictions in many countries abroad including heavy import duties, quotas, currency fluctuations and restrictions on the export of capi- tal, there was an increase in the export sales of Rolls-Royce cars. and in addition sales of the Bent- ley were most encouraging.

On the aero engine side the frin's products were stal out- standing as the best and most re- ilable liquid-cooled engines in the world. Evidence of this is to be found in the fact that, although they were supplied to the Royal

Air Force In record numbers in 1933. the Rolls-Royce aero engine turnover for 1934 exceeded that figure.

וי.

MORE CARS WANTED

The substantial increase in the number of motor cars sold, ps compared with previous seasons,` provides eloquent testimony- to better times in Great Britain. The standard Motor Co., for example, report that their sales, during the 8 months from August to the end of April, show an increase of 20 per cent indicating the probabil ity of a record yæir.--.

Äs. A consequence, the large works at Canley; Coventry are again being extended new build- ings are in course of erection and big contracts have been placed for conveyers and other plant for increased

production of both chassis and bodywork. Another satisfactory feature of these ex- tensions is the employment of i more hands.

CONCESSION TO VISITORS

It

is good news that visitors In possession of an International Driving Permit, or a foreign driv- ing licence issued by a competent authority, will be exempt from the British driving test.

Thousands of motorists visiting Britain with their cars or hiring themselves during the holiday season will benefit from this con- cession by the Ministry of Trans- port.

DIRTY LUBRICATING OIL ON TEST

Increased interest has been shown lately in the way in which lubricating oils stand up to the stress of the modern type of auto- M mobile engine. Various propošais.......... have been made for improving the quality of oils by the use of oxida- tion inhibitors. anti-corrosion" "dopes" and other means.

In connection with this a' pub- lic demonstration was held in Durban, Natal, of the dirty lubric- Ating oil drawn from the sump of a Pontiac 8-cylinder car, after the, car had broker three South African road, records. Mr. L. C. Streeter, who actually broke these records, drove his car for 2,000 miles on hard country work in" South Africa at an average speed of 45 m.p.h. The sump was fill ed before the run with "Germ" Moto11 MH, and no make-up" off was required, less than a quart being used.

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