RUMBLINGS., October 1927

RUMBLINGS.

EXHAUST NOTES —By BOANERGES.

FAR be it from me to spoil anyone’s pleasure, or deny happiness to any man. The role of wet-blanket or skeleton at the feast is very unbecoming to the sporting, motorist. But it becomes a duty to open our throttle and roar with condemnation of those whom we see to be heading down the wrong turning, and otherwise straying from the paths of rectitude.

All of which outburst is occasioned by the increase in the activities of the ” high-street speedman,” the most loathesome of all mortals. These youths earn more abuse for motorists than all the high-averagers put together.

I suppose they really think it is a source of wonder and delight to all the local damsels, when they career down the High Street flat out in middle gear. Possibly the hearts of the said local damsels are caused to rev. up a little at the sight of Eustace doing a good forty. The oth.v. motorcycle with twin port engine appears to be the mount most favoured by these horrible specimens. But worse than this treatment of good machines, is that accorded to side valve engines, more famous for their cheapness than their maximum speed. These are usually in the hands of youths lower in the social scale than their brilliantined rivals, and seek to emulate their deeds of daring.

These types of riders are on the increase and form a perfect pestilence in the ranks of motorists. I hope this opinion of their efforts will come to the notice of some of them, if they can spare time to read Motor Sport instead of taking their fish-tails off.

The Motor Show is upon us once again. Once more we trek off to view the new models and to renew our wishes for unlimited wealth. A remarkable thing about the Shows one has visited is that in a great many cases, one has seemed to know far more about the exhibits than the elegant young men in charge thereof.

One is forced to wonder, glancing at these dazzling creatures as they speak in tired tones of” a mere seventy or so,” whether they have ever sat behind the wheel of a fast motor at anything like the speeds they despise so much. I am going to look around this Show for the young expert who thought the crank-case of an expensive sports model was a leather affair for holding the starting handle.

Talking of fast motors, and sports models, and that sort of thing, reminds me that Capt. Frazer Nash has some second hand cars for sale at reasonable prices which are very quick indeed.

Vernon Balls has opened very fine new showrooms in High Holborn. Customers should note his remarkable frieze, done by one of the younger artists who is rapidly coming to the fore. It presents a kind of journey by car with all sorts of backgrounds and varying conditions. It is quite worth seeing. By the way, a real chance occurs for a speed enthusiast to acquire a fast car cheaply. Vernon Balls offers for sale his own Amilcar, which is well known to those keen on racing. This little car laps at 98 m.p.h. and has a

maximum speed of round about 108 m.p.h., which is pretty fast. It is a four cylinder and supercharged, and can be bought for £350 if you hurry up.

Many a fellow motorist has come groaning to me with a tale of woe. Every time he greases up or does any little job which entails dirty hands, it means half an hour’s work with hot water, parafin and brushes before a state of civilization is regained.

For my part the difficulty is solved, for I always keep handy a tin of that extraordinarily good stuff ” Oresolvent.” This really does do what it says, and that quickly and easily. A good sized tins cost 8d. and is well winth it.

In view of the Motor Cycle Show opening on October 31st, our next issue will be primarily a motor-cyclists one, and will include a review of the sports mounts exhibited.

There is no doubt that the modern fast motor cycle is growing ever faster, and it is a reassuring fact that the progress of brake design is in the majority of cases, keeping pace with the increase in engine efficiency.

There is an interesting new publication shortly to be on sale; which is a kind of encyclopaedia for the nontechnical motorist. This will appear in fortnightly parts at one and threepence each part, and will be called” Cars and Motor Cycles.”

The first issue includes articles by Major H. 0. D. Segrave, Capt. Malcolm Campbell, the Earl of Cottenham, W. L. Handley, Freddie Dixon, and many other famous motorists.

The paper is edited by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, and published by Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd.