ITEMS OF INTEREST

ITEMS OF INTEREST

FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

B.R.D.C. 500 Miles Race.

THE, handicap figures in connection with the B.R.D.C. 500 Miles Race to be held, at Brooklands on October 3rd are now completed and given below.

It will be seen that non-supercharged cars are shown a slight favour, there being separate handicaps for supercharged and non-supercharged cars. There will, therefore, be two starting times in each class (except in Class E where the non-supercharged car does not receive an allowance) as the handicap is operated by varying the starting time of the competing cars. The car completing 500 miles first will be the winner. The Club has decided, to award two prizes in each class, one for the supercharged cars and one for the non-supercharged. The handicap has been drawn up by Mr. A. V. Ebblewhite, the R.A.C. Official Handicapper.

Singers’ New Sales Manager.

MR. Richard Hungerford, well-known in, motoring circles as the former Assistant Sales Manager in control of Vauxhall sales at General Motors, Ltd., and who previously officiated in a like capacity for a considerable period at Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., Luton, has just been appointed Sales Manager of Singer & Co., Ltd., of Coventry.

It is understood that Mr. Hungerford, when giving effect to his plans for the promotion of Singer interests, proposes to avoid revolutionary methods of trade development and to endeavour to stabilise the existing organisation by establishing and putting into practice a policy of sustained co-operative effort.

The Popular 10 h.p. Class.

THE Ministry of Transport returns of new cars registered during the first four months of 1931 show a decrease of nearly 7,000 as compared with the corresponding period last year. The actual figures were 53,347 this year and, 60,201 in, 1930. A notable increase, however, appears

in. the 10 h.p. class, with 6,194 cars this year as against 3,828 last year. Apparently the 10 h.p. car which costs little more than the’ Baby” to buy and run but which, as a rule, has ample accommodation, is claiming public attention.

It is interesting, too, to see the high percentage of” family” cars in. this class. Despatches of the Rover “Family Ten,” for instance, during January, February, March and April amounted to 3,810-61 per cent. of the total number of 10 h.p. cars registered and, over 99 per cent. of the number in the similar months last year.

IT is customary, nowadays, to hear of British riders of British machines winning classic races abroad. Our team of racing men is sweeping everything before it, and each week-end brings new lists of successes.

Poland, however, is far afield and there were no British experts in the recent Polish Grand Prix ; but British machines were represented, M. Malicki win.ring the 250 c.c. race on. an Ariel. He broke the lap record by a substantial margin. So rough and sandy was the course that he used ” competition ” tyres.

THE recently opened London service station of the Alvis Company is now going” great guns.” A recent visit showed that they are working at full pressure and, despite the fact that less than 2 months has elapsed since opening date, three-quarters of the capacious floor space is in use and the problem of extension is already having to be considered.

The Station is at Jubilee Place, King’s Road, Chelsea, and is thus situated at a spot easily reached from all parts of London.

MOTORISTS are by nature a lazy crowd when it comes to doing manual work on the car or its accessories, and with the number of labour saving devices now at their disposal this is hardly to be wondered at.

One of these which has recently been brought to our notice is the” Gergovia ” engine operated tyre pump. This device is a combined sparking plug and tyre pump which is screwed, into a plug hole and when the engine is run it operates as a pump. The chief feature of the device, and, a very important one for the tyres, is the fact that it pumps air, and not petrol vapour. This is achieved by means of a neat automatic valve arrangement on the body of the pump. This is operated by the gland, nut being unscrewed and a key turned, so that the air for the tyre is drawn in from the atmosphere and not through the carburettor.

When the gland nut is tightened down again the device can be used once more as a sparking plug. The whole operation of changing over only takes a few seconds, and the equipment includes 12ft. of rubber flex and connection. In the case of high compression sports engines requiring very special plugs the device is well worth carrying in the tool kit, and it can then be used in no more time than it takes to change a plug. The price is 35s. complete and it is supplied by Continental Motor Hires, 80, Brompton Road, S.W.3.

IT is apparent that some drivers are not quite clear as to the correct procedure at crosssoads where automatic light signals are in operation.

It has been laid down by the Ministry of Transport for the guidance of local authorities that drivers wishing to turn right should pass the first signal when the green is showing towards them, and then turn right as soon as the traffic passing straight over the crossroads will permit.

In some cases-notably at some junctions with Oxford Street-a right hand turn is prohibited entirely, but is invariably indicated by arrows and warning signs.

As a general rule a left hand turn should also be made only when the green light is showing. Where ” filteration “, i.e., a left hand turn against the red light, is allowed, an illum,,in.ated green arrow should be shown below the lights.

An Irish Grand Prix Echo.

CONSIGNMENT of goggles left London for Italy last month. This

is a sequel to the Irish Grand Prix when Campari’s eye was injured by a stone striking his goggles which, unfortunately, were of ordinary glass. The stone only struck the edge of the “pane,” but the lower lid and, the lower part of the eyeball were badly cut.

His first act on arriving in London was to call at the Triplex Company’s offices in Albemarle Street, choose a model from their stock of goggles and place an order for a quantity of that model.

Curiously enough one of the first exhibits Campari saw in the showroom was the pair of Triplex goggles Sir Henry Birkin, had, used, in the race when he won, his class. They had been struck by a stone flung up by Campari’s car !

In this case the stone had struck one of the ” panes” right in the centre ; but though badly starred it had, not shed a fragment.

Sir Henry Birkin’s goggles are rather interesting in that the glasses, which with the sheet of celluloid between them form the triplex sandwich, are optically worked lenses which have been specially prescribed for ,him to adjust his vision when. at the wheel.

Traffic Control by Light Signals.

A Useful Tyre Pump.

Alvis Service Station.

A British Success in Poland.