DF.CEMBF.R 14TH, !907.

THE AUTOCAR B 3ournal publisbeb in tbe interests of tbe mecbanicalll? propelleb roati carriage.

EDITED BY H. WALTER STANER.

No. 634. VoL. XIX. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 1907. [PRICE 3D.

THE A U1 .. 0CAR.

(Published Weekly.)

. Registered as 2. newspaper for transmission in the United Kingdom.

Entered as second-class matter in the New York (N.Y . ) Post Office.

EDITORIAL OFFICE : .

COVENTRY.

PUBLISHING OFFICES :

20, TUDOR STREET, L'ONDON, E .C., ENGLAND.

CONTENTS.

NOTES USF.FUL HINTS AND TIPS (ILLUSTRATED) • • THE I2 H.P. FOUR-CYLINDER STAR CAR (ILLUSTRATED) • • THE PROPOSED NEW YORK TO PARIS RACE THE W!:IGHTS OF MOTOR CAR BODIES To THE ALPS AND BACK CoNTINFNTAL NOTES AYO NEWS AEROPLA!iE PROGRESS ( ILLUSTRATED) THE BERLIN MOTOR SHOW ON THE RoAo. Bv Ow EN J oHN THE SALON AND OLYMPIA CoMPARED A NEW STEAM GENERATOR (ILLUSTRATED) . • THE PRINCIPLES OF CARBURETTHiG • • CoRRRSP0NDE.N'CE THE STELLITE UNIVERSAL j OI NT (ILLUSTRATED) , • MOTOR LAW IN' AMF.RICA SOMF. QUERIES AND REPLIES • • V APORJSIN'G LIQUID FUELS (ILLUSTRATED) • • CLUB DOINGS FLASHES • • THF. SCOTTISH TRIAL AND THF. 2,000 MILF.S R .A.C. TRIAL ILLUMINATED StGNPO::.T~ (ILLUSTRATED) REVl£\VS • . {GNITlON IMPROVEMENTS (ILLUSTRATED) A CoNSTANTLY MESHED GEAR (ILLUSTRATED) WATER FOR \¥ASHING MOTOR CARS • •

PAGR

965-966

967 968 -969

969 970 971 -973 974-976

977 978 979-980 980-981

982 983-986 087-992

993 993 994 995-996

996 997- 998

999 999 1000

.. 1001 - 1002

1002 1002

'THE AUTOCAR" SUBSCRIPTION RATES: British Isles, I6s, Abroad (1hin paper editioo), 226. 8d. per ann11m.

f Notes. The Four Inch Race. As we mentioned recently, the members of the motor industry,~s ep resented by the Society of Motor Manufactur s and Traders, are not, with one or two conspicuo exceptions, in favour of the four-inch 1 ace which the Royal A.C. proposes to hold nex t year to replace the Tourist Trophy fuel limit races. We think the manufacturers are making a great mistake, but if they are determined to abstain from the one British international road race held on British soil we should strongly advise the Club not to drop th e race, but to restrict it to amateurs and standarcl pattern cars. There are plenty of amateur owners with cars of 4in. bore or slightly less who would be keen to take part in such a sporting event, pro~ided it was not overburdened with reg ulations and restrictions. In this matter we do not profess to understand the attitude of the makers. Quite a number of those who oppose British races say they prefer to take part in one of the Continental international events instead of the English international races, but as a rule that is the last heard of the matter. Most of them never have and never mean to take part in an international race on foreign soil, and consequently they will never real ise the advantage of racing at home. However, if the makers do not want to take part in the 4in. race it does not matter so long as the race is held, and we believe in the long run it would be far better if the race were supported by users instead of by makers. We know there are many difficulties in the ,vay, and that up to the present the R.A.C. has never troubled much about encouraging the amateur owner and driver, and this is rather strange , considering that the vast majority of the members are, 1nd a lways have been, amateurs. However, it is never too late to mend, and if the makers have finally decided that they do not want the 4in. race, the owners would like it, provided it was indeed and in truth confined to genuine amateu rs and standard chassu. Probably they will not rush to enter for it the first year, but if it is kept going for a year or two nothing but bad management can prevent it becoming a gr,at even t , and one of the most sporting contests in the world. It is not likely to be badly managed, as the bitterest enemies of the Royal A .C . must admit that it han~~ the events it promotes with thoroughness, skill, J! absolute impartiality.

The Cost of Motoring. One or two statements have been made in the daily papers within the last week upon the cost oT motoring, and in a bankruptcy case it was stated that it cost from £800 to £1 ,000 per annum to run a 40 h.p. car. There is also a letter on the subject in our correspondence columns to-day. In this letter our correspondent attempts to construct a sliding scale showing what income a man requires in order to support motor cars of varying horse-power. He recognises that no hard and fast rule can be made, but we scarcely think he dwells upon this question sufficiently. The matter in all cases must be a personal one. It depends upon a very large number of circumstances. It is quite true in the main that a man's income must influence him as to the power and size of the car he will buy, but at the same time the whole matter comes back to what proportion of his income a man is ;,repared to devote to motoring, whether it is his one recreation or only one of a number, whether he will drive 5,000 miles or 20,000 miles a year, and whether he will look after the car himself as a hobby or pay someone e l se to look after it.

There a re dozens of other considerations, but we mention the foregoing as showing how the matte r must in all cases be an individual one. A man with £.500 a year can run a 20 h.p. car without being unduly