1924-01-05 — Page 11

MOTORING

SUPPLEMENT

OF

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

Saturday, the 5th. January, 1924.

(Being the Official Digan of the Hongkong Automobila Association).

LOCAL MOTOR NOTES & NEWS

NEW CADILLACS.

A NOTEWORTHY TRIAL TRIP.

All the way from Detroit to Los Angeles, in cities and small with a well-developed bump of towns, are scattered individuals

they saw and recognized a new

We know and appreciate the Although we are quite willing; to admit that the Stubbs motor fact that the Traffic Department curiosity who know to-day that road was considerably damaged as a Department, is doing its by the very beavy rains which level best to provide effective fell last October and also that the traffic control, but it is unfortun-type motor car several months Indians and before the general public knew) great amount of building activity ately true that

that it was even contemplated.

They ware

Back in June and July, either]

taking place in the neighbourhood Chinese do not make good, con- is not very helpful as regards the trollers of traffic. preservation of the road's surface, cars on when they should often hear some small hotel or at a

gasoline filling station, these ob- servers noted three open Cadillac,

in a dull grey. They were equip-

we do think that this important warn then to go slowly and they artery to the Feak might come in exhibit a nonchalance bot very for a little early attention on the fitting as guardians of the public cars different from any they had Iseen before. They were finished part of the P.W.D. The condition safety. Perhaps the cure is to be of the red at the moment is not found in having Europeans on 2004 and the occupants of even traffic duty, and it is a duty sath-Ped with ourists trunks on run- the best sprung car come in for a ciently important to let of jobing, whilst to the poor whatever steps are necessary for shovels and other camping motor egefist the road is anything its proper discharge. un pie-ant to traverse.

1: may

be that the roads department

- have made plans for the restorani tion of the surface to its former- high-mass condition, and if it

warranti

jning board, water bottles, rope.!

[paraphernalia; and the coating ofį duet and mud over cars and oc- cupants hinted of a caravau which had seen long and arduous travelling.

The three vehicles, two touring

The Hongkong Hotel Garage announce In addition to their cars and a phaeton, were the first can only be hoped that those plans agencies in the "Gray Truck" three V-63 products built from will be pin hand as early as a vehicle which is rapidly gaining the jiggs and fixtures to be used favour all over the world on in regular production. Their oc- account of its economical running cupants were officials and execu and general excellence. The tires of the company, who were chassis, aside from its heavier out to experience the performance Hithert the motor buses in construction for truck use, is of the new creation. The driving Kowloon have been confined.so far twin of the famous "Gray" which conditions were to be practi

broke the world's as chassis is concerned. to the officially For one-top truck type. but economy record. during the

past

few day

there has been seen at least one bus of quite a heavier and.

hoped that motor hus proprietor the chassis. are not going to be allowed their

sweet

-Own

wills

01

colour schemes, otherwise we shall see some wonderful jazz effects over on the Peninsula.

the cally

same 2.5 those under which the average driver. would get acquainted with his new V-63 a few months later.

The difference was that the

A LOCAL MOTOR MISHAP.

Here is seen the Hon. Mr. A. G. Stephen's Hudson caf as it fell over the embankment in Garden Road recently. Coolies who were cleaning it in the owner's garage ac- cidentally started the engines, causing it to dash across the road and leap over the embankment. The damaged car was removed in three hours by the Dragon Motor Com- „ pany's breakdown gang.

BROOKLANDS.

Two Interesting Performances.

Balloon Tyre Test

"GADGETS” AT OLYMPIA.

A MOTOR TYRE PROBLEM.

Some Interesting Exhibits Weight of Car and Air

Dealing with the Motor Show,

a writer says:For the visitor who is not thinking of purchasing

Pressure.

A correspondent puts a rather

(a car, or who has already decided interesting if not altogether new, upon his new make, there is un-query, and as it is, one that may [doubtedly more material of in-crop up in any motorist's ex- tarest in the galleries than on the perience. I am going to discuss it, ground floor, and usually more says a writer in a Home paper. opportunity to examine the ex-

"As I have The question runs, bibits that catch the eye.

Take the case of Mann Egert an engine-driven tyre pamp, tons, for example. Among the wheel before pumping by hand? is it worth while to jack up a

many useful gadgets" shown it is difficult to pick upon one of

And, supposing I do, how much. under-inflation should I allow to outstanding interest or utility,make up for the increased pres (although probably in the latter

category the M.E. Atomiser-sure when the jack is let down?". fuel economiser on rather novel, The answer to the first part of lines which, incidentally, I know the query is easy: It is not worth to be effective -halds first place. while, for although you do act-

11

DECEPTIVE SIMPLICITY.

ļually have to raise by a fraction ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.

of an inch that portion of the Again, those in search of novel-weight of the car that is borne by ty will find plenty and to spare the wheel in question, it is done, among the various items of in affect, by the pump, throngh & Midgley electrical equipment very low gear," and the addi and may find profitable emplos: tional effort is infinitesimal. ment in comparing the Midgley system with the well-tried stan- dand patterns on the stands of The second part is not quite so such firms as Lucas. CLA.V., Broltį Rotax and Smith. The main easy. It is, in fact, deceptive in point to be observed in the Midg-that its apparent simplicity con

ceals a trap. The problem is: By ley equipment is the automatic control. by which the charging how much does the weight of the current is reduced to a minimum car increase the pressure in the when the batteries

are fully res? charged.

The answer furnishes the Shock absorption is an over-figure by which the under different class. It passed tool has semi-elliptical- springs company officials condensed into

recurring topic of conversation iniation of a jacked-up tyre is quickly for the writer to discem under a substantial frame with four brief weeks the experiences

among enthusiastic motorists, permissible. And the answer is the make of chassis, though it two sturdy tubular cross mem-which a Cadillac owner would

Mr. S. F. Edge, with his cus-and a fresh stimulus will be given zero! was of the Buick pattern. The bers, eliminating frame distortion obtain only in a period of months,

by examination of the wide varie- bonnet wes a flaming red, the bus There are no rivets in the upper and in some cases, years,

tomary thoroughness, has been subjecting the new "balloon "y of types of absorber and saub- The weight of the car has no also red and it looked a com and lower flanges--the maximum The trip had been planned so

upon tyra spicuous object as it fashed down strength being thus obtained that the officials, leading eng-

type of large-diameter, low-pres-ber, including at least one now effect whatever

pressure. You pump, say, 50lb. Nathan Road. While we are all The body sets directly on the ineers and technical experts

sure tyres to a strenuous test pattern, shown at Olympia. His conclusions are: One bas to Even a fully equipped" car to the square inch into the syze, for Brighter Kowloon, it is to be frame and any standard body fits who composed the party might Two interesting performances drive with exceeding care on wet offers plenty of scope for those and until you release the valve

appreciate the performance of), the new cars under every driving recently. In the first place, the add a weight of some 74 15. per

have taken place at Brooklands or greasy roads; and the tyres who like to have numerous dials or otherwise add to or subtract on the instrument board, and from the amount of air in the condition. The route through Bugatti which was second in the wheel as compared with ordinary there are so many devices which tube, at 50lb, will the pressure eastern Colorado, New Mexico 200 Miles Racs, has attacked types. In a previous test, Mr. are more than merely decorative remain, whether the wheel is With the ever-increasing need and portions of Wyoming gave and beaten the record for the test Edge found that large tyres that I am afraid even to start working or resting on the for reliable truck transport in the the opportunity to travel for hill. The new record time for the caused a slightly increased petrol describing them. A useful trio," spare bracket. Colony, the Gray truck should hours at a stretch at high speeds. climb is 8.40 seconds, and the car consumption

however, is the Tapley gradient Don't be tempted hastily to become as popular here as in Rough going was experienced on was travelling at about 53 miles New Season's Prices. mater, the Boyce motometer, and say that this is nonsense! If

the rocky and arroyo-broken! other countries, and all firme

an hour as it came over the When compared with pre-war the Runbakea petrol level gauge you think a moment you will With the greatly increased interested in economical transport roads of Nevada Utah and

price standards, some of the new There are, of course, many top." number of notor vehicles in service should make a point of Arizona.

see that it is right. When the I am told. saya a writer,, that season's cars will be found to stands upon which strict utility weight of the car causes the tyre Hongkong, the matter of effective obtaining further particulars from

In the prairie states .the the Bugatti leapt some twenty offer amazingly good value for rules to the exclusion of mere to bulge slightly, it merely dis- traffic control becomes more the Hongkong Hotel Garage.. Caravan Kvved slowly but five feet forward with all wheels money. It is possible to obtain casual interest. How, for in places some of the air at that urgent every day. Toe main

steadily forw...1 over gumbo clear of the ground as it came an attractive two-seater, for instance, can one expect the Anglo-particular spot, but does not trouble at the moment is the lack

roads so slipy from recent over the sharp crest, and I can stance, with four-cylinder water-American Oil Company or the increase the pressure within the rains that chains were required well believe it. This climb, by cooled engine and electric light-British Petroleum Company to

a whole. To put it motor drivers progress or stop More and more people are tak

the way, is from a standing start, ing and starting, for £180. The makes sensational exhibit out another way, the waight siters The party left the factory in the and to attain such a speed in the car in question is the little of their familiar green or buff the shape of the air container signals. On some of the most ing to motoring every year, even three cars at 8,30 in the dangerous corners in the Colony, in such a relatively small centre morning of June 19. In four weeks short length of the hill isn't bad Citroen, and presumably, the low cans! And yet the photographs without changing its capacity. Chinese and Indian constables on as Hongkong. That means that they

acceleration even leaving the price is made possible by the fact of the great British rafinery at traversed the prairies,

So now you will not be misled traffic duty seem to be ignorant orices are all the time making conquered the Sierra Nevadas, gradient (largely 1 in 4) out of that the Citroen works have the landarcy, on the latter com

Bccount. of the great importance of their their appearance on the road, and crossed the Great American De-

largest output of any European pany's stand and the Angleco into serious ander-inflation by The other record-breaking per-factory. The firm has claimed Depth O' Meter and visible dis-whas is. I admit, a specious most cf us who are now in the sert, ascended Pike's Peak, nego-formance was put up by a two-to be the largest sarvice station charge meter are well worthy of fallacy. You see it is a fallacy, class of experienced motorists tiated the Rockies, rolled down itre Bianchi car, with Cap. A, in the world.

inspection.

nevertheless. know how and what we felt when the western slope to Los Angeles, G. Miller at the wheel. Alto- we made our first run in public. and after a brief pause returned gether. nine records fell to the We see that a writer in a to Detroit, covering 9,000 miles Bianchi, its best speed being 98.47 Let us give an instance, wit-Home paper has been giving and running up an average of 318 miles an hour over a flying half- nessed by the writer, to prove our some advice to novices, and he miles per day. contention. A private motor-carjadvises those who go for their In the course of the trip, after mile. The ten miles record now was the other day about to turn firet driving lesson to make up leaving Chicago, the cars passed miles an hour. out of Haiphong Roadinto Nathan your mind that you are going to through Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Road, and, at the same time. a look comfortable and be comfort-Qmaha and McCook, Nebraska. motor bus was proceeding uplable" He continues: "I can't Denver was the next objective. Nathan Road in the direction at explain why at the moment, but After a tour of Estes Park and a Yaumati. The Chinese constable your appearance when driving is the climb of Pike's Peak, the cara-which was followed by many days od point duty gave the right-of-quite an important factor in road van was soon speeding along the of hard going across Nevada and way to the private car, thereby safety conditions. No one looks Santa Fe trail to Los Angeles, through the mud of Wyoming indicating to the motor bus the comfortable when driving if he or which was reached just nine days and Nebraska From Omaha, necessity of pulling up. Instead she has to look anywhere else after leaving the factory.

Nebraska, the same route was

of discretion shown by point policemen in communicating to

work.

on all four wi mels,

stands at an average of 92,31-

pleasant day's travel;

of obeying the constable's warn-except in the direction of travel. Five days were spent in Cali-followed as the outward journey. ing, the driver of the bus contin-When you've got your first insight formis. After a two day rest in In spite of the fact that as mach ued on bis journey, and a collision into gear-changing sit in the car Los Angeles the three care head-rough usage was crammed intò, was only avoided by smart pal-by yourself and do imaginary ed for the north, through Bakers- the four short weeks as is usual ing up by the driver of the private gear changes until you know the field and Fresno to Wawona, and only in a period of many months. car. The extraordinary feature movements off by heart almost from there to: Camp Curry. As only minor adjustments were of the proceeding was that the without any definite thought. they stood parked in front of the made on the three cars from the Chinese constable never said a When you make your first run Yosemite camp with their time they left the factory until word to the motor bus driver who as a driver on the public road re- Michigan licenses, по one they returned. was in grave fault, and took member that you are a novice. suspected that they were the first Examination in the Cmpany's absolutely no stops to justify bis You must try and cultivate con- of the new V-63 Cadillacs to come laboratories showed every part of (the policeman's) authority. Sure-fidence in yourself but never be from the regular assembly line. the powerful mechanism to be in ly this is a case of a constable over confident. As with most From the Yosemite, the Big perfect condition; and the engines taking his duties lightly. What other things, the happy, medium Oak Flat-road was followed to in all of them were running with; is the good of a traffic constable is the ideal All of which ap-Sacramento. The Placerville & sweetness of action even greater who is so animpressed with the pears to us to be perfectly sound road and trip around han when they rolled away from Importance of his job?

and useful advice.

to Rebo provided the factory brand new.

tyre as

WINNER OF $9,000 (gold) PRIZE.

•

bove is Harlan Fenglar on the machine willi

City contest. For the 150 miles he averaged 1152 mu.

urse in the