1932-10-22 — Page 10

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1932.

CAR PRODUCTION

NOW IS MOTORING

TIME!

EVERY MOTORIST HIS OWN MECHANIC.

More Lessons of My Early Driving Days.

By Sir Malcolm Campbell

IN CANADA.

Record for July in Excess of June. Ottawa, Can.--Automobile pro-

The light clear-air cool-the going dry

NOW

IS THE

TIME TO PURCHASE

YOUR

MORRIS

MORRIS owners are well looked after

in Hongkong. There is a service station at 376, Lockhart Road, and at 737, Nathan Road, Kowloon, where spare parts and technical advice and * assistance may be obtained.

In Hongkong now, ready for the road, are stocks of Morris Minor saloons

Morris Cowicy two-scsters,

saloons and coupes.

Morris

Major fourers

And Morris Isis saloons and special coupes-all avail. able at usual prices

It doesn't

cost any more to buy British and whon you buy a Morris you get a car manu- factured in England by a company which is 100 per cent. British What with the seasonal amenities and the operation, o, the Imperial Profer- ence tax, NOW is certainly Morris Motoring Time !

At. Canton there is a commodious and welt- Come and see the Morris models

stocked showroom at 84, Fung Ning Road

at our Ice House Street showrooms, or telephone 28021 for a demonstration, free of obligation ....

There is a liberal discount on cash sales while no interest is charged

if a car is purchased on the instalment plan.

Dodwell & Co., Ltd.

A.P.B. 16.

TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUR Transport

DEAL DIRECT.

THORNYCROFT

SIX-CYLINDERED

COACHES & OMNIBUSES

MOTOR

VEHICLES

Pioneer Manufacturers of Commercial Motor Vehicles

4 or 6 Wheels

4 or 6 Cylinders

30 Cwt. to 10 Ton Loads

20 to 70 Passengers

JOHN I. THORNYCROFT & CO., LIMITED

Pioneer Building, Nathan Road, Kowloor. TEL. 56752.

| Trust A Thornycroft With Your Transport

Battery Neglect

I often wonder what the modern was always necessary to oxamine duction in Canada during July Costs YO

for

motorist would have to say if the the covers and to remove the showed Improvement over the clock were put back and he small pieces of stone that had be-Jane figures, and an exceptionally auddenly found himself driving come imbedded in them.

This practice should still be July lost year. Continued im-

heavy gain over prodletion under the conditions that cxisted at the beginning of the present adopted from time to time, as the century.

good old proverb of a stitch in provement in foreign markets time could not be better applied accounted for the latter factor, [than in this instance.

and more than offset the decline

When the pioneers of motoring look back on those days It must acom nil dream, At least that is how it feels to me, and I can only go back 27 years, having started my motoring career in 1905. What it fecla Ilke to those who were the real pioneers I can only faintly imagine.

2 Hours At Punctures

I do not think the average in the domestic market. The motorist pays sufficient attention

to his tyres. As long as they hold apparent consumption of cars dur up he carries on; he seldom evering the first seven months of the jacks up his wheels to give them year was below that for the ke a look over, and he soldam main-porfod of last year, tains the correct pressure which the manufacturers recommend.

Automobile

production in

Can the present-day motorlat A burst tyre at speed can have Canada during July, according to visualise starting out for a run, very unpleasant consequences, the Dominion Bureau of Statisties, any to Brighton, and having to Modern tyres are so reliable that amounted to 7,472 units, or a gain spend at least a couple of hours by few motorists have experienced of five per cent. over the 7,112 enre the roadside mending punctures? this, and therefore may not know

What a business this was! For how to cope, with this situation. made in June and 77 per cent. in my own part I soon became ex- All the more reason therefore for excess of the 4,220 cara turned perienced in the art, and up to the care.

out In July 1931. The number of war I bellove I could have got a Early curs used to be terrors for cars made for export during July job anywhere an a first-class tyre skidding, and although we had advanced to 2,699 from 1,233, fitter. To-day I am positive tyres fitted with steel studs which while ears made for sale in once it used to give a certain degree of Canada were down to 4,773 as should get the sack at work of this nature was entrusted stability, yet when we encountered against 6,870 in June. During to me, as I must frankly admittramlines or roads built up of July 134 cars were imported into that I have not changed n. tyre stone driving WA8 for from Canada and 1,510 exported. since pre-war days.

were

pleasant.

com-

Money

Make your battery is longer and perform betti Pass the responsibility to t and let our Firestone Stan ardized Battery Service an you money. It costs you not ing for our Free Tests, az you incur no obligation whe sosver. Come in today and li aureyourbattery performan

Firestone

Big Seal

Fireston

I can claim to have had more The car of to-day, however, For the year to date the than the usual experience of presents a very different picture,apparent consumption of cars In changing tyres, for the simple as it is really stable and holds the Canada totalled 42,039 as reason that funds during my early road to a wonderful degree. I am,pared to 68,350 for the first seven motoring career

rather however, often amazed to see a months of last year, slender, and in consequence I never car that is apparently giving the used to scrap my covers unt!! they driver a most uncomfortable ride, were completely worn out. Mysince it can be seen swaying about tubes, when I had finally done all over the road. I can with them, were covered with understand why the owner puts up patches,

with this state of affairs, as, pro- Second-hand

vided the car has not become in- Whenever a replacement was re-volved in a collision which has put quired, and that was at very the chassis or axles out of line, frequent Intervals, I used to invest tliese defects can be usually in- In second-hand covers and tubes.stantly remedied. If the back of

BRITISH CAR TRADE. BATTERIES

never

Statement by Motor Magazinė.

The Society of Motor Manufac

As the life of a new tyre was only a car, at speed, swings, it is be-turers and Traders of Great Bri- about one to two thousand miles at cause the rear springs are too toin issues periodically a most var the outside in those days, it can slexible: This can be stopped by ful volume entitled the "Motor In- well be imagined how long the adjusting the shock absorbers, dustry of Great Britain", which second-hand article was likely to If the car rolls, this is usually be contains among its varied mattor stand up to the conditions of that cause the tyres are unevenly, or many little known facts of general interest. The 1932 edition of this time,

under, inflated.

work, which recently appeared. shows that the total production of motor vehicles In the United King- dom in '1932 was 95,000, of which 604 commerical yehicles. By the 71,896 were private cars and 28.-

I remember once having on- The fracture of a road spring in countered a particular run of bad the old days was 4. common luck with punctures. 80, much occurrence. To-day, fortunately, against my better Scots judgment, this is practically unknown. I invested in two new outer covers, used to carry a block of wood, cut The very first day out I ran over to the correct dimensions, which end of 1938. the production had

Tires.

Batteries - Brüka Lêuti

THE DRAGON MOT).

CAR CO., LTD.

33. Wong Nei Chung Road THE ASIATIC AMERICAN

COMPANY,

70, Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong,

And at Canton and Wucho

NEW RACE RULES.

It is suggested that fuel capgr

a plece of glass and cut one to could be inserted between the risen to more than double that of cars competing in the India the tube. The other tyre received bottom of the chassis frame and figure, and in September, 1931, the polls Speedway race next y a bad cut through encountering a the axle when this misfortune total was 220,307 where of 168,097 should be limited so that at la particularly sharp fint a little occurred. When this operation were private cars and 67.310 com a would be made farther on my journey that day, had been carried out it meant that merical vehicles. Other lists cam-add more colour to the race. I After this experience I decided at any rate one could go home, paring imports of motor vehicles also suggested that the number that new tyres were a luxury only though at a leisurely gait. -

Into the United Kingdom in 1931 atarters be increased. for the ultra-wealthy..

Cord Shock-Absorbers

with previous years, prove that the I wonder how many people re- Shock-absorbers then were us-home market is now virtually aa- member the introduction of the known, but we used to bind the sured to the British manufacturer. indirectly, by special taxation stepney wheel? It was a great leaves of our springs with cord, as day for me when I bought one of this made them more rigid and ment that special motor taxation this vast sum has been allocated Equally interesting is the state-road vehicles, and 80 per cont. these, and I remember looking strengthened them somewhat.

forward to my first puncture, so At that period it was asking for in Great Britain has "gone far in road authorities as maintainan that I could hitch this contraption trouble If we overloaded the car of the road costs of the country grants. During the present tir

the aggregate to pay for the whole on and proceed smartly on my with an extra passenger. To-day Since the inception of the Road of severe depression It would a this point seldom enters the head Fund on less than 247 million be surprising to find a serious co

way.

My Spare Wheel

I was motoring to Eastbourne with a friend, and as we entered

of the average motorist, although pounds has been paid, directly or traction in the sale of motors. the practice. should be 419- couraged.

the town the near-side back tyre An incident that occurred to me burst with a denfening bang. many years ago taught me n procceded, full of glee, to jack up lesson.

the car and fit the atepney. We I was driving on a road I did wore off again in no time, but be-not know when I came upon a bend fore we had gone 200 yards there which was much more netue than was a jerk and a bump, and I was I had anticipated. I was driving dismayed to see my stepney roll- far too fast at the time, but im- ing past the car at great speed and mediately I had my foot off the finally landing up among the fruit necelerator and on the brake. To und vegetables displayed on tiers my horror I found the throttle had in a greengrocer's shop.

jammed open and would not shut.

I stopped, apologised, and re-

Decision had to be swift, and trieved my spare wheel. But that brakes were none too good in those little escapade cost 20s. to silence days. The car was over 40 h.p. the angry shopkeeper. My opi-and could do more than 60 m.p.h. nion of the stepney depreciated at I realised that the ignition switch least 60 per cent. after this of this car was fitted on top of the episode, although it was entirely steering wheel; I turned this over my fault for not havlug fitted it instantly and saved a smash. correctly. The motorist of to-day has to thank the tyre manufactur- ers for the amazing advance to- wards perfection of the matice tyre.

This has happened to me many occasions since, and it has often happened on racing cars-as well. I now make sure that I I have heard people grumbling always know where that switch is,

pneu-

if they do not obtain at least 20-30 that I am prepared for an 000 miles out of a set of tyres, cemergency of this nature.

rally applied at once.

one puncture is experienced dur-Saw-Blade In Clutch

Another defect of those days in ing the first 10,000 miles severe complaints are sent to the manu- fortunately rare to-day. I refer facturers.

to a slipping clutch. In those Although tyres were so inferior days most clutches were of the then to what they are to-day, the cone type and leather lined. conditions under whith they were That type of clutch used to give used wore very bad, too.

very good service, although the The roads were other inches leather required continual dress- deep in dust when they were drying with oil. If the clutch started or conted with thiek mud when to allp then, fuller's-earth was wet. We used to get smothered in dust when motoring during the I used to carry an old hacksaw fine weather. As so many cars blade, as I once got home through were not fitted with windscreens, inserting a small end of the blade and hnd no side doors to the front botween the rim of the clutch and Hents, the passengers had no the lining itself. I found that protection from the elements. doclutching became л difficult

In consequence wo

used

matter, but at any rate I did arrive arrive at our destination in at home. almost unrecognisable state, and The car of to-day is to reliable covered with dust from head to that the motorist never bothers to foot. When it was wet our plight learn its mechanical features, and was even worse, as the mud stuck if anything does go wrong he is to our clothes and ruined every-helpless. I frankly admit that thing.

nowadays I could not cope with Comb-out Of Flints

breakdowns with the confidence I Tarmac in those days was un-jhad in the old days. But before known, the surface of the roads the war, almost every kind of being entirely of macadam. misfortune occurred to me on the Flints used to play havoc with the road, from the breaking of a thin, rubber treads of our tyres, crankshaft to the fracture of and upon returning from a run it engine valvos.

to

*

NEW

AUBURN

STRAIGHT EIGHTS

DUAL RATIO

Dual Ratio, exclusive with Auburn and special equipment in all Custom Models gives you the equivalent of two cars in one; in the hills a most efficient hill climber; on the straight-away a smoother, quieter performance at high speeds with less wear and tear on the motor and running parts. On. the boulevard or in the country with your car moving 20 to 60 M.P.H., turn the Dual Ratio lover on the Instrument panel from Low Ratio to High Ratio and while your car continues at the same speed the motor speed drops down one-third of its former speed. Less vibration, quieter, and more economical.

ASIATIC MOTOR CAR CO

SHOW-ROOM.

Tol. 27452.

445, Hennessy Road,

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