Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-19
ALTADENA
HILL CLIMB
DUBIOUS
STOCK MODELS MUST COM
PETE WITH SPECIALS
ASSOCIATION DEALERS DIssATIs-
FIED WITH CONTEST
Conditions Under Which Competition
viii BE Conducted May Mean the
End Of Mountain Grade Races
of This Kind

There is considerable dissatisfaction
among the dealers about the coming hill
climb at Altadena on Washington's birth
Gay.
AS the contest excludes all of the deal
ers not members of the association a
large number of the cars that are already
well known here will not be entered
,rhere are several of the dealers, mem
bcrs of the association, who do not intend
to enter their cars, as they think that
20 enter strictly stock car contest would
be foolish, as they cannot hope to win
over some of the specially built cars that
will compete.
One of the officers of the association
and probably the most active one in the
promotion of the hill-climb, is credited
with saying in the presence of number
Of the dealers that he was going to build
car that would beat one of local manu-
facture if it cost him $4,000 to do it.
OF course the car will be entered under
the nalLe of one of the cars that he
handles, but which cannot in fairness
be called a stock car any more than the
GRE that gathers in the cups for the local
factory it represents.
There is to be no technical committee
to examine the cars, hence protests as
to their not being stock models will be
Inavailing.
Instead of the public having an oppor-
tnnity to Judge between the merits of
he various makes they will only be able
to hazard a guess as to what stock
car of that name would do, but they will
have ample opportunity to learn Whlch
OF the dealers is the most expert in mix
ing ether or picric with his gasoline, or
in utilizing acetylene gas for power pur-
poses.
Prospects Not Favored
Those who are in the game to win out
on the merits of the cars alone do not
look with any great favor on the present
prospect, and 1t is freely predicted that
this year will see the last of the hill
climbing contests held under the man
aLement of the local association so long
as the present methods prevail.
Some Of the "curbstone operators" as
certain of the association members term
the non-member dealers, have resented
the position that the association mas
taken, and have refused to take out
membership, as they have been urgently
requested to do. AS soon as dealer
begins to transact any appreclaple
amount of business one of the members
takes it upon himself to gather him into
the fold, but lately he has met with In
different success.
Some of the officials of the association
are sincere in their desire to have the
association help the automobile business,
and one or two others are looking out
exclusively for their own selfish interests.
THAT is the wedge that will split the
thing asunder as the breach grows wider.
One of the best known dealers in town
said a few days ago that he was IN
favor of belonging to the association SO
long as it accomplished any good results,
hut that so far as 1t went in helping him
to sell a car that he had to look atter
that part of it himself.
lust what assistance the association is
70 its members is much-mooted ques-
ton among some of the leaders OF the
organization.
When one of the officials was asked
IL the entrants were restricted to stock
models he replied that all OF the cars
entered would be considered stock models
irrespectiye Of what they actually We're
II that is the condition that will exist
whv not nail a name plate on the OLD
$685. aud turn her loose on the hill at
the rate of a hundred miles per hour
and then set up the claim that 1t Is the
fastest stock car in America?
Don't try to adjust the carburetter UNI
less you understand it. Climatic condi-
tions are different and the carburetter
may require slight turn of the gasoline
valve for more or less gasoline, according
to the requirements. When too much
gasoline is admitted to the carburetter
the motor will miss badly when throttle
is quickly opened, but will eventually
clean itself out and run smoothly. II
there should not be enough gasoline the
motor will respond quickly, but will miss
explosions and after few revolutions
will fire back in the carburetter, making
a perceptible explosive noise The rem
edy is to open the valve and give a
trife more gasoline; about three-fourths
of turn of the gasoline needle valve Is
usually the proper amount. When too
much gasoline is used it will be apparent
by black smoke coming from the muf-
fer.
Umpire Carpenter is in doubt about &C
cepting a position again as a member of
President Pulliam's umpiratical staff He
has aspirations of becoming a Southern
Iea ono olrh ou,nar How anvone will