New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-10-09
improvements Add
To Efficiency, but
Develop Worries
Best Way TO Avoid Being
Annoyed by Complexities
Of Your Car Is to Know
Parts and Care for Them
BY n. Clifford Brokaw

TechUicol Director, West Side Y NJ.
c. A. automobile Schools
A bathtub in q home is generally
known as modern convenience, al
though in some parts of the country it
is considered a luxury and in other
sections it is regarded as a necessity.
self starter on an automobile is an
example of a modern convenience i'll
the motor world.
Yet here is a driver who considers a
self starter an extravaganza. He says.
Give me car with a crank on the
front end FOR NINE and III get there
ahead Of the other fellow nine times
out of ten On the other hand, the
woman driver takes the point Of view
that sclfstartcr in an automobile is
a necessity. For her, cranking car
involves disarrangement OF various
locks of hair that need to be undis-
turbed to give the artistic effect SO
strkingly obtained by members of the
female sex. Cranking causes this and
that part of her clothes to get d hairs
breadth out Of just the place so much
time has been spent to put them.
Cranking may be the means Of her
ladyship getting so warmed up that
time has 60 be taken out after Inc
engine s started for the woman driver
to powder her nose once more. Then,
too, many women who are physically
strong enough to drive car are hardly
equal to the task of cranking the aver
age machine No wonder the ladies
consider self starter not only mod
ern convenience, but an absolute neces-
sity.
The old oaken washtub that was
hauled into the kitchen every weekend
and filed with hot water from the tea
kettle made medium whereby it vas
possible to take bath. Perhaps one
could get as clean with this equipment
as in the modern bathtub, where hot
water runs in from a faucet. But the
former process is not SO enjoyable as
the latter.
Multicylinder Cars Best
In somewhat similar fashion r
four cylinder automobile gets driver
where he wants to go. However, the
six, eight or twelve cylinder car, which
is in the nature OF modern con-
venience, takes him over the distance
a little more smoothly and with little
more enjoyment and ease. Added
cylinders in machine make for
smoother riding cars, which drive
equally well. The greater number OF
cylinders permits Of a much quicker
getaway in traffic. They make it pos
sible to run the motor at much lower
speed without shifting gears. The
motor has more power. which makes
mill climbing easier, and there is bet
ter distribution Of the same amount of
power.
But modern conveniences are not
without their disadvantages. For in
stance, if the plumbing connected with
the modern bathtub gets out Of order
il IS likely to be necessary to call in
plumber. and every one who has had to
have such an experience knows about
the disadvantages of such an event. SO
the self-starter Of an automobile,
while undoubtedly great convenience,
has made it necessary to take
care Of it regularly and keep the
generator and motor commutators in
condition. 1t has multiplied the wiring
has added many wires to the car
and its numerous regulators and other
instruments are bound to need adjust
ing occasionally. The extra care in
volved and the unusual trouble which
are apt to happen give the driver who
has q self-starter an added RESPONSE
blity And when things go wrong
which he cannot fix himself, of course,
1t is necessary TO call in chat automo-
bile plumber known as an expert auto
motive mechanic.
Consider also the extra duties in car
NC for chr with more than -four
cylinders. Instead OF having eight valve,
to grind the driver may have as mnny
as tWenty-four, and if the double
valve idea is carried far enough he
might have as many as forty-eight. In
arran ging the cylinders to procure a
more even torque in some instances
it has been found necessary to locate
the valves in q position where they are
not readily accessible. IN some types
It is necessary almost to dismantle the
engine and in others the valves may be
lcached to remove them only hy remoy-
ng the mudguard.
Electric Conveniences Many
Motor car drivers used to perate
their lights with kerosene. The cleo
trio light is modern convenience on
an automobile as we'll as in a home