The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-07
Automobile News
MOTORCYCLES IN 1914

MOTORCYCLES IN 1914. While no dirt track or road motor l cycle records were broken during 1914, there was one record estapHsn- 1 ed during the year which will De or great interest to the average rider an economy record. This was made by Ed. Perrin of Stockton, Cal, who rode his motorcycle 1927 miles on single gallon of gasoline. Taking the 1 average price of gasoline as 1o cencSs l this means that Perrin rode fractlon over nine miles at a. cost of one cent Another interesting record Of the year was that of E. G. Baker who l crossed the continent from the Pac1nc I to the Atlantic in eleven days, eleven hours and ten minutes, lowering the former transcontinental time of tWen- | ty days nine hours and one minute The F. AM dirt track national professional championship events of | the year were won as follows; One mile, Ray Crev1ston, time, 46 S-6i two | mile. John Constant, 40 4-o; hVe mile, Robert Perry, AIS; ten nile' Charles Bake, SPAS 1-5; twenty-hve mile, Carl Cloudy, 2O:o6; one hundred mile. Fred Meyer, 400 3-6; one hour, Leslie Parkhurst, 6 4 miles
 w. A. Leuders carried off the hon OTIS for the one. two, nVe and ten mile national championships for anna l teurs The twenty-five mile event was won by R. Rau1et, ttnes 23:l6, and the fifty mile by ". A Lueders in 46:37 2-5.
 Important road events for the year were as follows: 800 mile race at Boyd in 4:24:4s; 25o mile event at 1 Sioux City, Ia-, won by Joe Wolters, time, 3:43:52. 2-5; Savannahr, Ga. 1 300 mile road race, won by Lee Taylor, time, 5:02:s2. Lorenzo Boldo won this years San, Diego Phoenix motor l AI1ka S iFN l fourteen hours and nineteen minutes and Erwin G. Baker was winner of the fFl Paso-Phoenix event, time, fifteen l hours and 52 minutes.
 1 WHEN WASHING IS DELAYED. Provided the auto has been put l away for the night unwashed, and the mud and other road refuse allowed to
 dry onto the finish it will harm the | varnish to apply water and attempt to
 remove these dry. crusty accumula- 1 tions at once. All such surfaces
 should have plenty of fresh. clean wa
 ter run down in easy volume over
 the finish Continue this practice un-
 til the dirt-encircled surface is thor 1 oughly soaked up. Then let the
 work stand for 1 5 or 20 minutes for
 the water to so act on the body of dirt
 and mud that under a fresh of of wa-
 ter it will freely run away without
 injury to the finish.
 In all cases the mud and dirt should
 be oated off by a natural ow of water | rather than wiped off. This latter practice usually results in the finish | coarse grit and dirt It must be un-
 derstood that even a water-loaded lswoo1 sponge drawn or rubbed over g
 dirty or rnud-be-spattere panel de
 ve1ops a securing effect, This effect
 diminishes the bri1lfancy of the var | l tecting the undercoats.
 New York's great automobile show l the fifteenth annual, held under the 1 auspices of the National Automobile Chamber. of Com naerce, opened Satur. l day afternoon in the Grand Centra. Palace for 8. period of one week. Al ] the exposition the 1915 models o1 Americas motor car manufacturers were formally displayed to the publiS for the first time and the exhibits re-
 veal many striking novelties.
 All told there are 34 8 exhibitors, o1 (which number 89 show passenger caIs 241 display accessories and parts, an{ 13 are motorcycle exhibits. Of the number of car exhibitors S are dis 1 playing electric vehicles. There is nc ] display of commercial cars.
 The range in price of cars is from
 $295 to $6, ,0Oo. While prices have no
 been materially reduced it will be ob-
 served that much more is being giveT
 for the money than ever before 1T
 1915 models, especially as regards
 equipment and conyeniences.
 Among the surprises are several new
 cars equipped with eight-cy1inder mo l tors. Almost equally startling art
 several of the new small six-vyIfnde1 cars which it is said will sell under
 S1,0OO, Then too the makers O efours'' are showing many interesting 1 n of T
 new bodies on this seasons cars i . will be noted that lenders as a cIas
 are crowned so as to hug the vince
 somewhat more than the old style
 and to prevent splash more efficiently , but at the same time avoid the dan
 ger of the tire striking the fender or a sharp rebound after passing over bump.
 The 'sone man. or ''one hand'' typ.
 of top will be found on the majorit. of touring cars while interchangeab1, or convertible bodies have been i'm proved to a point where they are prac } teal and make it possible for a. buye
 to secure a combination open ant closed car that is not cumberson, and is easily adjusted. Great development will be noticed il smaller coupe bodies, Innovations il
 seating arrangement, especially il closed cars are shown by the majorft. of exhibitors, and seats that slide ou } of the way and disappear when not il use, or swing so as to permit eas. } ingress and egress are noted in grea
 number.
 7 Whereas a couple of seasons az, I<therea were but few electric Startini
 and lighting systems offered, ther
 are now numerous new ones to lb
 seen, and in those that have been ol
 the market two years or more mucl
 improvement has been made.
 Not only have large cars such a ! i lirnousines, berlings and heavy tour ing cars improved greatly in appear ance. but very light cars have benl
 much refined in beauty and utility.
 1atA ROAD RACE.S