1931-01-31 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1931.

MOTOR CAR INSURANCE

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE COVER

AT

MODERATE RATES OF PREMIUM.

Full Particulars on Application to CHINA UNDERWRITERS, LTD.

Hongkong Bank Building.

Phono: 28121.

ENGINE SPEED INCREASE.

Range of "Revs." Limited by Weight of Working Parts..

This is the excessive loading of the

earings which is caused by the in- artia of the working parts--that ls. the pistons, gudgeon pins and con- necting rods.

No matter how fast an engine may be running, each piston must come to a standstill at the ends of ita stroke in order to be able to re- start in the opposito direction. To wards the middle of each stroke it is

ravelling at a very high R

For a long time engineers all year or so, however, the maximum over the world have been making speeds employed. in private, cars use of increased revolution spoeda in order to obtain greater power from their engines. Nowadays it is quite common for n motorear engine to run at 3,500 r.p.m. when the rond speed in 60 m.p.h.. whereas ten years ago 2,000 r.p.m. was con- sidered a high speed for a power unit of this type. During the past

tave remained more or less fixed, so that to bring it to a standstill so that it is interesting to consider and reverse its motion requires the whether a limit has really been exertion of forces of very large reached or whether it is but a full magnitude. in the curve of progress.

AN OPEN LETTER

Dear Sir,

67 & 69, Des Voeux Road Central, HONGKONG.

January, 1931.

If for nothing else 1930 will be remembered in connection with the tragic failure of the Imperial Conference in London. All the Promiers of the Empire gathered together in an attempt to reach economic unity but they were unable to do so because they lacked vision. So we go marching blindly on as members of an Empire upon which the sun nerer sets but which gives us no tangible economic warmth. We do not even attempt to defend our economic interests much less further them. Our peace time mentality needs some severe jolts to get it into proper perspective. Now how do we Britishers in Hongkong feel on this question. We will soon find out. We are Agents for Wakefield's Castrol oils. The greatest achievements on Land, Sea and For quality, in the Air stand to the credit of Castrol. oconomy and efficiency it can't be beaten. Wakefield's is 100% British and It is sold by the Imperial gallon of 9 lbs. which is approximately 20% more than the American or wine gallon. Compare Castrol prices with what you are now paying. The quality, will speak for itself in a very convinc- ing manner. We are offering you something British of proved quality at competitive prices. It is, of course, better to drain your sump when switching over but it isn't absolutely necessary to do so as Castrol will mix with and improve any other oil. Now don't be an economic Bolshevist but give us a chance to get into the market. By the way an economic Bolshevist is one who continues to buy something foreign when better or equal quality Empire goods are available on better or equal terms. Ordinary Bolshevism within the Empire isn't really serious but economic Bolshevism might easily wreck the Empire.

Wakefield's Castrol is obtainable at most garages but if you have any trouble in getting supplies please ring us up and we will meet your requirements promptly.

His Excellency the Governor uses Castrol and so do the principal.transport Companies here.

Yours faithfully,

ROBERTSON, WILSON & CO., LTD.,

Sole Agents for Messrs. C. C. WAKEFIELD & CO., LTD.

in Hongkong and South China.

[By Teraol Klein for the Hongkong Telegraph.]

Both discouraging and promising were the developments in the auto- motivo industry during 1930. Here's what happened:

1. Production dropped from a poak of 5,600,000 cars in 1929 to 3,000,000 in 1930. Car sales drop- pod, although not as much, and ex- ports took a big slump.

2. Four names are definitely gone from the automobile cup Erskine, Marquette, Whippet and Viking,

3. Two alxes have been com- pletely abandoned, so has one eight. 4. One four has been converled to a six, and three sixes to eights. . A twelve and two sixtoons kave, been introduced, while 'an-

other new six, the De Vaux, has just been announced for stro duction the first of the year.

6. Ono now six and two alghts have been added to already *ablished nos.

Tiny Care Come Back,

new

7. Frices have continued down ward, despite many engine and bode", "improvemedia.“

1930

-U.S. AUTOMOBILE

TRADE:

The Meaning of Power. First of all, let us consider for a moment what la meant by power and the reasons why power can be Increased by raising the revolution speed.

The natural inclusion of a piston that is moving upwards at high speed is to fly out through the cylin der head, and it is only restrained by the connecting rod which couples it to the crankpin. Consequently, very heavy loads are placed on the bearings and these londs (in many high-speed engines) actually exceed the forces set up by the exploding

guses.

An engineer defines power as the rate at which work is being done;: it follows that the output of an en- In a similar way, the lower end gine depends upou the explosive of the connecting rod produces a "punch" excrted off the platona and continued load on the big-end owing the number of punches delivered to the fact that it is being whirled per minute. Hence there are two in'n circle. This load simply due ways of raising the output, these beto centrifugal force and at the end ng, frat, to increase the punch," of ench stroke. It becomes added to sither by using bigger cylinders or the Inertin lond produced by the yralaing the compression, and piston. Both these londs increase secondly, to increase the number of in proportion to the square of the explosions vecuring per minute by speed, so that If the revs. be doubled raising the revolutić sted of the the inertia forces appiled to the big-|

rankshaft.

More Weight Reductions,

Both these methods have been end aro quadrupled. vory fully exploited and each has its | imitations. For example, an in- crease of engine size carries with The obvious remedy is to reduce it the disadvantages of higher the weight of the working parts to weight and heavier taxation; again a minimum, and this has been done, Loo high compression is productive rat, by using light aluminium of rough running and knocking un-alloy for pistons and connecting lens special fucis be used. Thed, and, secondly, by increasing second method has therefore com-the number of cylinders so as to re- mended itself as enabling greater duce the size of individual work- power to be obtained without altering parts.

ing the size of the engine or the A very interesting, analysis was compression, and in order to utilize made by Mr. E. W. Sleman in a the higher engine speed top-gear paper read before the L.A.E. some rutios have been

time ago, in which he compared the progressively lowered until the average figure has inertin forces acting upon the become 5 to 1. Additionally, crankpina in four similar engines

the tendency to use smaller wheels has each of 3 litres capacity. These increased the rate at which the forces were calculated for engines engine turns for a given road speed. with four cylinders, six cylinders, In passing it is interesting to eight cylinders and twelve cylin-

and, ders,

the Готсен are. note that at one time doubts were expressed as to whether the burning roughly, halved in a straight- gases could expand fast enough to eight as compared with a four- propel a piston if the engine speed cylinder engine of equal capacity. of An Increase in the number becamo very high. Modern reseach has, however, shown that the rate cylinders produces other novan- at which the explosion occurs cantageous effects such as smoother be controlled according to the shape torque, absence of vibration and ao of the combustion chamber, and is that this trend will continue and forth, so that it may be expected in any practical case adequate to pornilt the use of very much higher will be responsible for alight in- piston speeds than those employed crease in engine speed. It is not at the present time.

likely that any further reductions

Another difficulty which arises can be made in the weight of pistons when the piston moves very fast is and connecting rods required for a to perunde the mixture enter the given size of bore until metallurg- cylinder quickly enough, the time ists evolve alloys which are still available on the suction atroke lighter than those which are at being obviously very limited at present in use.

a modern crulking speed of 3,000 Unfortunately light aluminium r.p.m. thero is only about 1-100th Alloys such as are in common use tendency of a second available for the in- for pistons have shown duction of the charge.

to produce rather rapid cylinder Advantages of the Supercharger. wear, but before long this trouble Despite the progress which has may be entirely obviated by the gon- been made in the design of valves eral use of hard steel or fron liners. and valve Hears it is dificult to In this way the use of steel, lighter combine in one engine the capability alloys for pistons may be made pos for inducing a full charge ut high sible and further increases in engine. speeds with smooth running and speed would follow.

good pulling power at low speeds. Are Fast Engines "Fussy.** This is why the supercharged may

well come into its own for touring

RIDE CONTENTEDLY ON MICHELINS

Distributors:

A. GOEKE &

4th Floor,

China Building.

CO.

Depot FIAT GARAGE

Tel. 22221.

Tol. 24821.

MICHELIN

GOING

HOME ON LEAVE?

If so, the following will interent, you:—

EXAMPLE OF CAR ON THE DEFERRED PAYMENT

-

To new car, say

SYSTEM OVER EIGHTEEN MONTHS.

Deposit one quarter

£200:-

50:

-*

Interest

£150: 15:

£165:

7: 6:

Balance of £165: 7: 6: to be paid in 19

monthly Instalments of £9: 3: 9:

To Deposit pald

£ 50:

45: 18:

-E 95: 18:

£130:

0: 8: 11t

£136: 8: 11:

119:

£17:-2:

8: :

5 Instalments. of £9: 3: 9:

FINAL ADJUSTMENT.

To re-purchase price-65% of £200

Rebate on interest

Less 13 instalments still due

Cash handed to Purchaser ACTUAL COST OF MOTORING FOR SIX MONTHS.

To Deposit and five instalments paid

Thirteen instalments still due..

Less re-purchase and rebate on interest

Cost of motoring for six months

or £13: 3: 1: per month.

2.95: 18: #:

119: 8: D:

£216:

7:00: 138: 8: 11:

£ 78: 18: 7:

The above proposition applies to any make of car, new or second- hand. We can also arrange to have a car and chauffeur to meet you at the docks, to take you and your luggage anywhero, mast reasonably and more comfortably than by rail.-"

All our cars, both new and used are sold under a re-purchase guarantee.

LEAVE CARS, LTD.

7. Upper St. Martin's Lane, London, W.C. 2. WRITE FOR BOOKLET, Local Agents: JAMES H. RACKHOUSE, LTD., 14, Chater Road,

not economical, in that they woår out more quickly and use more petrol than tho slow-speed type..

"Fast engines are fussy" used to engines; by delivering the mixture be a favourable dictum with motor- under pressure it solves the difficul- fats fond of high top gears and ties ordinarily experienced with in- large, low-speed power units.

At duction and distribution.

one time there was some justifica- There remains, however, a gravetion for this criticism, but the mod-no longer becomes obtrusive when problem associated with high speeds ern multi-cylinder engine has been turning fast.

A more serious criticism of fast- which we have not yet mentioned. made so smooth and silent that it!

running engines is that they are

INTRODUCTION OF BRITISH SMALL

CARS.

Review Shows Better Autos, Lower Prices, Many Model Changes in Poor Year for Industry.

9. General

solved this problem by putting up their own factories in Europe.

America Enters Europe. The latest development is the production of a now light six- cylinder automobile in Germany by the Adam Opel Company, owned by General Motors.

turers

Conversely, European manufac- are introducing their small cars here. The Austin has been

Further to aid the dealers, and also to guide the prospective mo- torist in comparing car prices locally, Naah has started the plan of advertising the delivered prices of its cars, Others are expected to follow this example..

8. One small European type au- has been rather disappointing to tomobile has come into the Amer-

the first to come. Now Durant is iys Six. Marquette, which Buick | facturers to see if they can decide the manufacturer and dealer. Pros-ready to put the French Mathis on ican field, another is

had introduced for a short while, on only one definite time each year now being pecta, however, are that the indus- the American market, while a plant has been permitted to die a nat- for the introduction of new models. 'built and a third is to be intro- try will pick up gradually and, by at Hagestown, Md., is finally be ural death, and so has Viking, Old- duced at the New York auto show 1932, will be once more on a firm ginning to produce the tiny Marsmobile's attempt at a V-type eight. In January.

foundation.

tin car.

There is also talk of Both of these cars were good pro- motors with the Signs of this have already be another European car, of much data, but there seemed to be no new Buick, has entered the gun. For example, in recent Inrger size, coming hore. It is the market for, them. straight-eight field.

months production has been hold English Bentley. down so low that sales of new cars.

What has been almost as discon- have exceeded it. For the entire certing, to the automobile dealers year, a greater proportion of new particularly, has been the great cars were sold than in any other number of changes in models dur previous year since 1925, when re Ing the past year, the dropping of 11. Other quieter and easier gistration figures became available: certain uames and models in the operating transmission systems, There is hope of a growing re like constant mesh, syncro-mesh and herringbone, have come Into wider use.

10. Free-wheeling, Introduced by Studebaker, has been adopted by Lincoln, and will be seen in at least two other popular automo- biles early in 1981.

placement market. beginning with 1931, due to the old cars that mo- torists have kept a year longer than they would ordinarily,

But this may not begin to bring resuits Until until the end of the year.

mean

12. While exports have dropped considerably, at least two of the larger American car manufacturers have definitely entered European then, replacements may trado with the manufacture of their | merely exchange of an old car for products abroad.

alightly newer but úsod automo- bilo,

Prospects Are Good.

Such generally is the picture of the automotive industry as we find it today. While it seems quite a plossing layout to the motorist, it

#

Revival of the industry will be industry and the switching from alow, too, because of the slump in one name to another, exports, due to some extent by high

For instance, Erskine European tariff rates. However,

has be como Studebaker Six Whippet Ford--and General Motors have four and six has turned into. Wie

Many Changes During Year. In the same field, Studebaker has

Lower Prices, Better Cars, converted its sixes into eights, and

Prico reductions, of late, have Chrysler has done likewise to its larger sixes. Reo and Willys have been greater than ever before in added eights to their lines, while an effort to clear dealers floors of Buick has banished its six and re-existing models and make room for placed it with a straight sight. At the latest ones coming in with. the same time the Dodge Sontor the opening of the New York show. Six, with four-speed transmission, But prices of the now models will has left the scene.

powerful and yet more flexible. Various ways have been found to feed a more ideal fuel mixture in- to the cylinders and to get the most out of it.

4:

Lubrication has been improved 80 that greater economies will be effected in the operation of the mo- tor. Automatic chassis lubrication also has come in.

Bodies have been greatly Im- frames proved. Stronger chassis have been built to eliminate woay- ing and squeaking and to withstand the added power of the engines.

All-wulded steel bodies are comm-

ing into wider use. They have been lengthened and widened for greater comfort. Their lines have been designed to carry out the

not go above the regular prices of Iden of sleakness and speed. New In the larger auto class, Cad the 1930 automoblies and in some types of accessories enhance the

cases will fall below that mark. illac V-10 has made quite a success.

general apearance and utility of It has been followed by the V-12 Despite this reduction, however, the caram

Much more has been done to and now will find a competitor, in mundfacturers bavo added much to the Marmen V-16.

engineering qualities 'and ap-give the American, pubile better: Those froquant now car intro-pearance. They have improved the looking and, better riding automo

caused ductions have

dealers transmission particularly, making biles, and van more is arrested in

1981 much trouble, and the National for quieter and easier riding and Automobile Chamber of Commerce made steering much easier. And all at no fereuse

Engines have been made more, former prices, has appointed a committee of manu,