The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, March 21, 1920, SECTION SIX, Page 6, Image 90

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    THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MARCTI 21. 1920
Mora m
I u
WI5RY -FEWER .HOW
o
Driver in Old Days Had Real
Job on His Hands.
ECONOMY NOT POSSIBLE
But Nowadays Greatest Xeeds Are
Lubrication and Intelligent
Handling of the Car.
Not many years ago, when the
motorcar industry wa9 still in its in
fancy and the chusging road usurper
was regarded variously as an in
strumentality of the devil or a toy of
the idle rich except by those who
and often those who have had suf
ficient experience with the motorcar
to know better, take it for granted
that as long as the oil gauge on the
engine registers "full" the lubrica
tion problem is properly disposed of.
A seized engine bearing is very in
convenient and expensive, to say the
least, but it is far less dangerous to
life and limb than a steering knuckle1
worn through for lack of proper lu
brication and ready to snap at any
moment.
Practically every motorcar manu
facturer today supplies some form of
lubricating chart. The novice should
study this chart and learn the loca
tion of all oil and crease cuds, and
then apply this information faithfully. !
High-grade oil should always be used,
as inferior lubricants are expensive
at any price.
Even good oil wears out in time,
however, and the careful motorist
will change the lubricant in the
crankcase of his motor every 1000
miles, or even oftener. Carefully
drain out the old oil, flush out the
crankcase with kerosene, or better
still, with a quart or more of fresh
oil, and refill crankcase with clean
oiL The used oil should not be em
ployed again except for lubricating
spring leaves or external parts ex
posed to road dust, as it contains grit
destructive to bearing surfaces. It
may, however, be made usable by a
thorough filtering process.
Carburetor adjustments vary on the
BIG RACE MEET IS TODAYl
FAST RACERS TO COMPETE OX
XEW LOS ANGELES TRACK.
This ill Be the Last Motor Rac
ing Event With Present Size
of Auto Engines.
LOS AXGELE3. March 20. Speed as
sensational as that developed in the
recent opening races will be the pro
gramme at the new Beverly Hills
speedway Sunday afternoon, . March
21, when th fastest drivers of the
opening race will compete in a series
of three 50-mile sprints. The famous
drivers are repairing, rebuilding and
speeding up their motors in prepara
tion for the triple -sprint, and with
the shorter distance set each of them
will be in shape to tear' around the
track, at considerably faster speed
than even that of the 250-mile opener
of February 2S.
To the pilot making the fastest 50
miles will go the title of Los Ange
les speedway champion and a special
prize, in addition to a share in tne
J15.000 cash prizes offered for the
winners in the March 21 classic This
THIS UNIQUE GUESSING CONTEST HAD ALL OF PENDLETON GUESSING.
What Can You Afford for Comfort
AN
, & V 3
7
.....
llow long would the Chalmera Hot-Spot motor idle on one quart of graaoline? was the question, and three of the
40O EnrMei were within three Becondn of correct.
During the Pendleton automobile show, March 11-13, McLean & Snavely, Chalmers dealers, put on a unique
stunt to create interest. They offered a cash prize of tlO to the person guessing closest to the time. a Chalmers
hot-spot motor would run, idling, on one quart of gasoline. An officially-measured quart can full af gasoline
was attached direct to the carburetor and the gasoline tank disconnected. The test was made on the third day or
the show, with half the town looking on. Three of the guesses were 70 minutes, and the motor idled 70 min-
utfs 3 seconds to the dot.
owned them, whose private opinion
were unpublishable economy of op
eration was of small moment. The
question was not: ,-How cheaply can
this machine be run?" but rather.
-Will it run?"
Gasoline was hardly more than
waste product, sold at a very low
price and of tests that made the prob
1cm of carburetion a simple one, even
in winter. The trouble was the rul
rather than the exception, for prac
tically every machine of that early
day was undertired.
The tendency was to apply narrow
tires to high wheels to secure more
clearance and better riding qualities,
writes David Friedman in the Brook
lyn Eagle. Needless to say, mechani
cal refinements were still in the em
hroyo stage and delicate working
parts were rashly exposed to the de
structive effects of road dust and the
elements.
Driving Thrm AVnjl I.uck.
Under such conditions. It may be
readily imagined, economical opera
tion was more a matter of luck than
of intelligent care. Today . conditions
have changed. Motorcars are no
longer vehicles of chance. They are
aggregations of highly perfected
units, combined to form a harmonious,
smoothly operating whole. Working
parts are carefully protected from all
destructive agencies except unavoid
able natural wear and tear. Tires are
liberally proportioned and even the
more pretentious motor cars of today
are light compared with the road
monsters of the past.
The motorist prides himself today
not so much on the number of miles
he covers in a given time as on high
gasoline mileage and freedom from
tire trouble. It is almost a foregone
conclusion that a motorcar in reason
able repair will get there and back,
jet even to the enthusiast endowed
with much worldly goods, there comes
a glow of pride when he tells how he
cut down gasoline consumption or in
creased his tire mileage.
Only the experienced motorist, tak
ing a personal pride in his machine,
can realize the satisfaction economi
cal and efficient operation entails.
Many learn what they know about
economical maintenance in the school
of experience, but a more fortunate
few have profited by the experience
of others and avoid the rock-strewn
byways.
Intelligent Driving Nrrded.
"How can I save money in the op
eration of my, motorcar and maintain
It at its highest efficiency?" This
. question could be answered in a sen
tence or thoroughly explained in a
full-sized book, but it all simmers
down to these requisites: Intelligent
manipulation, proper lubrication, ac
curate adjustment of carburetor, and
periodic inspection of all working
parts.
The writer hesitates to say which
Is more important intelligent manip
ulation or proper lubrication for it
is hardly possible to over-emphasize
the. importance of .either of these re
quirements. Careful manipulation
means not merely the skillful han
dling of the gear-changing lever, the
throttle and the brakes, but the
acquisition of an almost instinctive
faculty, the indefinable "feel" of the
experienced operator; knowing just
when to throw out the clutch, when
to throw back into second speed, just
how rapidly the motor can accelerate
in an emergency, and just how long
it takes the machine to come to a stop
on various road surfaces when dry or
wet.
Self-confidence is an excellent qual
ity In a motorist, but over-confidence
is likely to be very dangerous to the
novice. The beginner should never
permit the temptation to "let 'er out"
get the better of him, particularly
when he is not certain that any
emergency of the road that might
arise will find him alert and prepared
to do the proper thing. At high speed,
there is little time for thought and a
moment's hesitation has proved fatal.
"Make haste slowly" is a good motto
to follow and if observed will save
the novice much trouble and expense.
Look After Steering Knuckle.
Lubrication, on the other hand,
while no less important than intelli
gent manipulation, is a much simpler
process. This very absence of diffi
culty often leads to the neglect of
this most necessary function in the
care of a machine. Many novices, I
various makes and some vaporizing
devices are adjusted at the factory
with no provision for road changes
except for idling. Adjustments where
possible, should be made according to
the conditions under which the ma
chine is operated. The greatest
economy in gas consumption is pos
uible mainly in warm weather and on
good country roads.
A weak mixture operates more eco
nomically than a richer one. When
the mixture is too lean, however, the
motor will stall readily and will sput
ter and pop back until the motor is
hot. Winter driving and city traffic
require a richer mixture than road
travel in summer. It is needless to
add that an overrich mixture is even
more unsatisfactory and should not
be resorted to in any case. Carbure
tor adjustment should .not be at
tempted until the principles govern
ing the process are clearly understood.
The last mentioned requiste, peri
odic inspection, is so all-inclusive that
it would be impossible adequately to
discuss it in an article of this kind.
CHEVROLET MEX TSE "490"
That Number Obtained for Phones
Whenever Possible.
The figures 490 have a great sig
nificance in the Chevrolet organiza
tion. The best-known model in the
Chevrolet line is the 490 and wher
ever possible Chevrolet dealers work
490 into their business organization.
The Imperial valley dealer has 490
for a telephone number. The tele
phone number of the J. G. Griffin
company, a Los Angeles agency, is
Broadway 490, and the Los Angeles
retail branch has 490 for the license
plates used on the company's demon
strators. To get this number Sam
Brown of the Los Angeles branch
made application early in 1919 and
closely following his application came
those of many dealers who wanted the
same number.
BAD PLACE IX THE HIGHWAY
Between Cottage Grove and Sagi
naw Is Lots of Mud.
EUGENE, Or., March 20. (Special.)
Rains of the past two weeks have
made the Pacific highway between
Saginaw and Cottage Grove, where
the new grade skirts the hills on the
west side of the Southern Pacific
tracks, almost Impassable. So declare
motorists who have passed over that
stretch in the past few days. Not
alone local motorists but a number of
tourists have complained of the bad
condition of this piece of highway. As
soon as the weather settles and im
provement is no longer needed, this
tretch probably will be macadamized.
Is the largest purse ever put up for
short-distance competitions.
As this will be the last race staged
on the new Los Angeles speedway un
til the Thanksgiving day classic,
which is expected to complete the
racing year in this country, as well
as to decide the national champion
ship, almost as big a crowd as that
which witnessed the opening race is
expected to attend. Many enthusiasts
from other cities of southern Califor
nia, and from other parts of the state,
were unable to witness the opening
classic on account of its double post
ponement because of weather con
ditions.
Jimmy Murphy, hero of the recent
contest, is one of the favorites or the
sprints, especially in view of the fact
that he has also been credited with
the fastest single lap yet made on the
Beverly track, his average speed be
ing 115 miles an hour for the lap.
His Duesenberg teammate, Tommy
Milton, is another. There will un
doubtedly be the same thrilling
wheel-to-wheel brushes between the
leaders as in the opening event, but
whether it will be Milton and Klein,
Klein and Boyer, Boyer and Pullen,
Pullen and Murphy, Thomas and Vail,
or a different arrangement of com
petitors, no one can tell.
One thing is certain. Not one of
the daredevil speeders expects to slow
up a second of the 50-mile dashes,
for the man with the "heaviest foot"
will win. ino car 1s expected to
break up in such a short distance, and
even if this were the case the drivers
would all be willing to chance it, as
their present steeds will be scrapped
in most instances after the race, on
account of the new regulations calling
for cars with 183 cubic inch piston
displacement, beginning with the In
dianapolis event. May 31.
Following are the drivers in tomor
row's races: Jimmy Murphy. Tommv
Milton, Duesenberg; Joe Thomas, Joe
Boyer, Koscoe Sarles, Ken Goodson,
Frontenac; Eddie pullen, Richards
Special; Art Klein, Peugeot; Ralph de
Palma, Ballot; John de Palma, Mer
cedes; Bennett Hill, Delage; John
White, White Special; Ira Vail, Phil
brin; Reeves Dutton, Stutz: "Cliff
Durant, Eddie Hearne, Chevrolet and
Eddie O'Donnell, Hudson Special or
meteor.
NY motorist can point
out the comfort fea-'
tures in his car.
Probably you can suggest
a number of other things.
But his car likely has dif
ferent comfort features
from the next
Comfort to some owners
may mean deep cushions,
easy springs, roominess.
Others will-mention a
well balanced chassis, easy
steering, snug curtains.
Many men think of com
fort as freedom from
squeaks, knocks, rattles.
The FUELIZER
Another Exclusive
Packard Feature
Permit us to demonstrate
this "little miracle. "
WHY shouldn't a man
have all the comforts
combined in one car?
Surely in these practical
days, nobody will confuse
comfort with mere luxury.
REALLY complete com
. fort that saves the
peace of mind and energy
of an important man is an
economy.
Such a car might easily
pay for itself.
Let us call your attention
to one fact: You will find
more important men, whose
keen business judgment
everyone admires, riding in
Twin Sixes than in any other
make of car.
In all our experience with automobiles, we know of none
which can so thoroughly justify its purchase as the Twin Six
Ask the man who owns one
PORTLAND MOTOR CAR CO.
Tenth at Burnside St.
WHOLE RIM.TORX OFF RACER
Unusual Accident Occurs at Recent
. L9 Angeles Races.
In the great speedway races run on
the various race courses of the coun
try many thousands of racing en
thusiasts have felt the thrill that
comes from witnessing a freak per
formance on the track. Cars appar
ently under perfect control suddenly
skid and crash through the fence or
a driver may come out of a turn so
fast that his car describes a circle
before resuming its forward journey
r a car may suddenly lock Its brakes
nd catapult diagonally across- the
track into the fence. Such instances
are not uncommon. In the early days
of racing throwing a tire from a re
volving wheel was almost standard
practice and racing men expected it
constantly. Now, however, with the
wonderful improvement in tires and
the methods of holding them to the
rims, such occurrences are extremely
rare. It is seldom tnat a. tire parts
company with its car unless the en
tire wheel works off the axle.
It remained for Art Klein, however,
to introduce a new tire-disappearing
"stunt" into ' racing history in the
250-mile championship race just held
on the new Los Angeles speedway.
While lpading a field of veteran
drivers at a speed, of 104 miles on
hour in the 183d mile, Klein's right
rear wheel collapsed in such a man
ner that every steel wire spoke was
sheared off clean at its junction with
the rim. His three-wheeled mount
crawled about crazily on the track
for an instant, while the sheared-off
rim with its mounted Goodyear tire !
kept rolling down the race course, j
When finally captured this Goodyear '
tire was Intact and still perfectly I
mnnntaH althnnrh it 'i o anhiiir.tafl In '
a terrific strain when the rim parted
from the spokes. This is the first
time within the memory of racing
men that a freak performance of this
character has happened in automobile
racing.
nnnrnmnimi
IMIBffllMlflllHlfflM
Remove grease, oil and acids from
your clothing at once by using a cloth
moistened with 'gasoline.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The popular PEERLESS piston ring, introduced in this
locality and the state of Washington by W. H. Banes, of 44 North
Broadway, will hereafter, together with a line of ignition parte,
brushes and special garage equipment, be handled and distributed
in the States of Oregon and Washington by the
Motor Equipment Co.
The new member of the firm is Mr. 0. C.
Potter, formerly in' the truck and tractor line in
this locality. Mr. Potter will have charge of the
sales end, while Mr. 'Banes will devote part of his
time to sales, but most to service. It will be the
policy of the new firm to continue the splendid
service'established by Mr. Banes and to add in
connection, ignition in all its branches, as well as
special garage equipment.
Mr. Banes desires to thank the garagemen of
Oregon and Washington for their liberal endorse
ment of the PEERLESS piston ring and wishes to
advise them that their wants in the ignition line
will be as carefully attended to as is the Piston Ring department. "
It will be our policy to ship, if possible, all orders within one hour
from the time that the same is received.
MOTOR EQUIPMENT CO.
14 N. Broadway, Portland, Oregon. Phones Broadway 3327, 3308..
A
y
ANOTHER TIP
M
V
for
otor Truck
Owners
There are many times when the owners of
light or medium-capacity trucks feel the
need of a heavy-duty machine, but the pur
chase cost is too great and they decide to
continue with their present equipment and
lose the extra profit. -This experience has
also come to operators of the largest trucks.
To those truck owners who want to meet this sit
uation and double the hauling capacity of their
machines we offer the complete
LEE LINE
TRAILERS DUMP BODIES -1 LOADERS '
"The Lee Line Makes Motor Trucks Pay"
William L. Hughson Co.
60 N. Broadway at Davis Broadway 321
San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles,
San Diego, Seattle, Portland.
Oldest Motor Car Organization on
the Pacific Coast.
Install the time-tried
pistora risi
' II HI ! ! IMIW b' W
VUW IH iMlll! "Ill I'l'ill.l' I ' nil.
For nine years these rings have stood the test
made good. And time is the severest test
of any product. ,
To Control
Excess Oil
Use
A tpeciml ring for
mot on tht pump oil.
Uie in the top groove
of each piston, la
the lower groom
ate McQuiy-Norra
S3oc Pittoa
Rings;
Genuine McQuay-Norris oo
Piston Rings, by their uniform action
on the cylinder walls, have stopped
piston ring leakage, increased power,
decreased carbon and saved fuel and
oil.
They are made in every size and over
size to fit every make and model of
motor.
Your repair man can get the proper
sizes for you promptly from his job
ber's complete stock.
McQuay-Norris Mfg. Co., St. Louis, u.s.a.
411
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