A New Mercedes-Benz.
A New Mercedes-Benz.
Probably the most interesting exhibit, from the sporting point of view, at the Berlin Motor Show, held last month, was the new 3.8 litre supercharged MercedesBenz.
No cars of the type are yet available in this country for road test, but a few details of its specification will be of interest. The engine is an eight cylinder, with bore and stroke of 78 mm. and 100 mm. respectively, giving a cubic capacity of 3,820 c.c. The cylinder block and top half of the crankcase are of cast iron, with an aluminium base. The crankshaft runs in 5 main bearings, with a vibration damper at the forward end, and each piston has three rings. The compression ratio is 6 to 1, and the engine peaks at 3,400 r.p.m., at which speed the power developed is 90 b.h.p. without the blower, and 120 b.h.p. with the latter engaged. The engine is suspended at four points. The overhead valves are operated by normal push-rods from a camshaft driven by the crankshaft. The blower is of the Merced6s-Roots type, with the clutch engagement generally used by this make.
A single plate clutch takes the drive to a four speed gear-box, of original design. In order to provide a really high cruising speed an over-top is used, top being the direct drive. Naturally this arrangement could not be used without a blower, the latter being utilised to accelerate up to sufficient speed to enable the over-top to be brought into action. There is semi-automatic change between top and over-top, working on a special Mercedes principle. The back axle ratio is 5.11 to 1. The chassis frame is of the box-section Which is finding favour nowadays, and
central one-shot lubrication is supplied. A 12 volt. Bosch lighting set, and Lockheed hydraulic brakes are fitted, and the radiator is V-shaped, and fitted with a thermostat. A feature which brings the car right into line with the most modern practice is that all four wheels are independently sprung. The two half-shafts at the rear are pivoted, while in the front a triangular frame from chassis to hub is used. The wheelbase is 3,140 mm., and the track at the front is wider than that at the rear, being 4,780 mm. as against 4,135 mm. The chassis weighs 1,280 kilograms, while the complete car scales 1,800 kilograms.
Altogether the specification of one of the most up-to-date cars on tile market.
The Scottish Rally. The dates fixed for the Scottish
The dates fixed for the Scottish Rally are Monday, June 5th to Friday, June 9th. Competitors will start from Harrogate, Edinburgh, or Glasgow, and the road section of the Rally will finish on Thursday, June 8th. The coachwork section will be held in Glasgow on Friday, June 9th. The Regulations are in course of preparation, and will be available not later than the end of March.
Chromium Plating.
The advantages of chromium plating are so obvious as to need no repetition, and all new cars are now equipped with permanently bright radiators, lamps and windscreen frames. It is not always realised by purchasers of second-hand cars, however, that they can now have the nickel-plated bright parts of older cars chromium plated for a remarkably low sum. One of the most reliable firms
specialising nil-this work is G. N. Higg (Chromaloid) Ltd., of Oaklands Road Cricklewood, and they have just issued an extraordinary complete catalogue of prices for plating separate parts of practically every make of car. Any reader who is interested in bringing the appearance of his car up-to-date may obtain a copy, on mentioning MOTOR SPORT, from the above address.
Records in the U.S.A.
The record-breaking season has been opened in America by a series of particu larly fine runs put up by H. W. (” Stubby “) Stubblefield on a Gilmore Special of 3,610 c.c. The attempts took place on the famous dry lake bed at Muroe , in California, the sloping sides of which are used as banking, making a regular lap over which long distance records can be put up. The surface is particularly smooth, and enables very high speeds to be recorded in safety. The Gilmore’s figures are particularly good, beating the Sunbeam ” Tiger’s ” records by a good margin, and have been confirmed by the I. A. R. A. C. Distance Car & Driver. Speed Old Record
m.p.h. m.p.h. 1 Kilontet re (f.s.) Gilmore Special 148.24 140.95 (H. W. Stubblefield) 1 Mile (Ls.) ,l ll 147.36 135.08 5 K ilamettes (f.s.) „ JI 133.03 130.41 5 Miles (f.s.) Al .. 133.36 130.28
Paris-Nice Rally. for the annual Paris
THE regulations for the annual ParisNice Rally are now to hand, the date of the event being from March 23rd to April 6th. Copies may be obtained on application to the Secretary, Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1.