| Show BARNEY OLDFIELD TELLS HOW N TO ADD 30 MILES TO SPEED OF OLD CAR Lr L- L I r w I i f f j t. t f Lt d I I v iI y 1 ip 1 c 9 i- i 4 By Barney Oldfield Copyright 1918 b by King F Features c tures Syndicate Inc You are re not expected to prep your old e so It gives horsepower like this twelve cylinder Sunbeam but you can n follow much of the practice used In Its design There Ther are arc four magnetos and two spark plugs for each cylinder In Inthis Inthis inthis this English motor A great many nai of my readers ers havo have asked ed me questions from froni time to time In regard to various operations to perform on their cars whereby the speed maybe m may maybe l be hc Increased I realize that an any young oun fellow worth his salt who gets ets an n old car wants to turn it Into a speedster So I have concluded to write an n entire article on the subject pointing out Just how the tho owner of an m ordinary touring car or runabout ma may add anywhere from twenty to thirty miles per hour to Its peed Most of the changes necessary ar can be made mae out bv by the owner himself but hut In some cases lie le e will have to call upon the garage ara e eor or machine shop to carry out certain operations The first part of the car to demand attention Is the engine and to begin with it is nece necessary sary to her more compression compression com corn so 80 as to inject pep pcp and snap into its Us operation There are arc several ways was of accomplishing this If the tho en engine engine engino en- en gine gino has a removable able head and the chances arc are that It has this part can be machined Just a t few fow ow thousandths of an inch making it set lower thereby decreasing the the- combustion space and In Increasing Increasing Increasing In- In creasing the thc compression Another wa way of getting the same effect is to machine machine machine ma ma- chine the whole cylinder clInder block at the bottom this brings it down sll slightly and increases the tho compression Still another way Is to lit fit pistons that have a little higher crowns Some owners prefer to have plates riveted on the top of or their old pistons This is the cheapest way t of or handling the matter but It has certain disadvantages es and I do o not recommend It It Weight removal remo should first aim a at- at tho the reciprocating parts For Instance the cast Iron pistons should be replaced b by aluminum parts If this I Is not wanted the tho iron pistons can bo ho drilled so as to lighten them though they will never be he beas beis heas as is li light ht a as the aluminum parts In III drill driB driBin drilling in ing ng an Iron piston the holes OU ought hl to be he put in the skirt some distance from Crom the piston pin Two rings arc are enough h to useIn use useIn useIn In a part of this kind Aluminum pistons can now be he obtained to fit it any riy size of motor and unless the matter of expense interferes the they should be used New ew and lighter connecting rods ought to be fitted Tubular steel can be used or a drilled I-beam I section of alia alloy steel Sometimes It Is possible to lighten the connecting ro rods s already alread In iii the tho motor by drilling them thereby removing a portion of oC the metal but this is likely to weaken tho the parts which have a pretty prell strenuous task 1 nt t best n CRANKSHAFT ADVICE As Aa a general thing the crankshaft had better be I left ft alone If H the owner Is de determined determined de- de to make a n good Job of the thing ho he can have the crankshaft drilled so that oil from the main bearings can lubricate the bearings s on OIL the thc lower end of the connecting rods If It the engine Is only going to be used for short bursts of speed peed there thero Is no need neetI of bothering with this change To 10 get ct high speed d results out of or theold theold the tho old car changes will have to be made in valve C timing and valve lift liet As a general gen ben oral eral thing the lift of the valves es is changed bv by b one one- thirty second or even one fifteenth of or an inch if there is IR room Sometimes it i Is h necessary to install a anew anew anew new m c. camshaft to alter the aho lift as much as desired In Iii tho the c ca caie Ue e of or a Ford that is being groomed roomed for speed a now new camshaft doesn't cost much and it helps a lot The valves themselves ought to lo be changed for bigger er ones and the lie Meats seats will have havo to be to hold hoM the lar larger er parts part If IC the owner is a skilled mechanic he ho ca can do the counter and fitting himself The old oM springs may be made to the valves es j I servo serve new by I stretching them a little to get increased I pressure Ever Every ounce of or wel weight ht taken off at the tho valve nl mechanism helps the I speeding process and in the tho case of or an overhead overheat outfit it may be a good stunt to machine the tho vertical l rods and rocker arms to get oft off some metal I The carburetor will have to be bo adjusted adJusted ad- ad or perhaps changed if real Increase in increase In- In crease creaso in the BIH speed is to bo he obtained By putting on a n lar larger er carburetor the tho increased In- In creal created creased cd flow of oC fuel needed for hl higher her j I speeds will be he secured Sometimes it has been found advantageous to fit a second instrument of the tho same size as the one already on the car H By fitting a larger larer carburetor the ow owner ocr m may have o to put on ona a new ness inlet manifold For fuel I I feed either cither straight gravity or straight ht pressure will wiil have o to be resorted to The vacuum tank that is now to so much used on passenger er cars needs a vacuum pump lo to meet the demands of high speed IGNITION QUESTION I When hen It cornea comes to tao question of or Ignition Igni Igni- tion Uon If It a good ma magneto eto is already on the car r it will do doery ver very ery well It If the old bus hus has a good battery b system that ma may maybe maybe be used but a new unit with a I second breaker will help a great bleat deal dent Thus Thu the engine gets ets the current through two breal breakers ers f feeding ceding edin two sets ets of plugs Instead of one The Tho spark plu plugs s will have to be beof beof beof of the special racing variety with flanges to keep them cool A change in the gear ratio of tho the rear axle will have to be bo made Most lost racing cars use uso reductions of less les than three to toone one thou though h some som of ot them have managed with more than this To make this chan change chango o a n. new differential ring gear and pinion I have ft got to be Installed The maker of the car can generally supply these parts There Thero ma may have ha to bo be some change In InI Inthe the tho clutch to enable it to stand up under the higher speeds If the one in iii place I la IH i a dry disk clutch Increasing the tho number number number num num- ber of plates plate and increasing tho tim spring pressure will probably do the trick Putting Putting Put Put- ting a lon longer er spring In the tho old housing will wIH generally serve sene For a cone clutch increased spring pressure and a sound facing ou ought ht to be enough Moreover after aeter all this has been doneall done doneall one all aU the tho weight possible ought to be taken off the car and chassis All u useless ueless eless parts can be taken off oft The Tho lighting generator and the starting motor can bo ho dropped The frame of the car can cnn be bc drilled and the re rear r cross member of the thc ordinary touring tourin car ear can be he taken oft off altogether I A good many companies arc are now offering offering offer offer- ing special racing bo bodies les for tor mounting on cha chassis and the tho owner with plenty of money can tn turn his old touring car into a mighty snappy looking little speedster Like most other things it is 13 Just a question question ques ques- ques- ques tion ion of mone money and h by spending a little you ou can cati get just the effect you OU want I I QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS I i Barney In addition to being very cr instructive your our columns have hn been of great Interest Interest Inter Inter- est cst to me inc I want to submit my trouble I have a 1917 1911 Velio Vello with a a. Continental engine It runs well on a n. level le road but develops a metallic knock and loses power on the slightest t grade grade In fact will not notI takes the sll slightest grade on high hut is I powerful and does doe not knock on second 1 I have had the thc carbon cleaned the valves I ground and the hatter battery recharged cd but the trouble continues The spark sparl is au automatic automatic au- au I and I am wondering If the explosion I Ion sion does not come too loo soon goon on i u n grade I have a very vely lean heart mixture hut but that do does docs s snot not seem to help I would deeply appreciate appreciate appreciate ap ap- ap- ap an any sug suggestions from you ou L L. S. S W W. Philadelphia The metallic knocking I must assume Is due duc to which brings s with It the loss of power I 1 can cin read readily II see sec c why wh this will wilt not occur In lii second You j ha have e eliminated one ono great rent source of pre pre-I pre pre- carbon carlOn carbon but aside from this I there thero is the matter of valve val and Ignition timing and the mixture I am almost I I U certain that out youl trouble Is with the tho 1 ignition especially with tho ho spark ad ml- vance This t typo po pe of advance docs does not take tho load into inlo consideration at nil all all advancing and retarding with engine speed Either the tue spark rk normally advances ad- ad advances advances ad ad- vances too far for the load or the ad adr advance advance ad- ad r vance is out of or order Barney Oldfield I 1 have ha a Scripps Booth rO roadster which has the Wagner agnor starting and atil lighting lightings s system Have Havo had trouble nt at times limes my I starter not working and my bulbs in I lI lights lasting hasting but a short time 1 have havo looked for loo loose e connections anti and short II circuits but am unable to find them My Iy battery hattery charges to 1200 What hat suggestions suggestions sug sug- sugI I ar are arc you ou able to make I J. J II 11 S. S Pa i q I Either th the current nt regulation means or orthe orthe orthe the cutout or Of both are not net working The Tho bulbs b burning out Is due duc to excessive o volta voltage e caused probably L by bythe bythe the current re regulation not being rl right ht If Ie tho the starter docs does not turn over look 1001 for or a 1 weak b battery Her poor connections dirty worn brushes dirt dirty brushes bad batI switch or witch switch can connections tons Rather than look for fOt shorts look for circuits Does DOCH your our dash meter register discharge when the starter switch Is pressed Barne Barney Barnoy Oldfield- Oldfield I have o a 1917 For Ford with a volt twelve battery Could Coul I connect battery batter to coil call Will coil coll stand bUnd twelve volts E E. E W. W S S. S Minneapolis 1 The They will stand aland It but not long The Thc points will wilt burn in a short time timp If It you OU want the tho battery for easy starting six volts will bo be enough Use only three cells of the volt twelve balter battery Darne Barney Barnoy Oldfield I have o a 1916 Chandler which has been heen driven about miles At about It it- developed de an unearthly noise in iii the tho roar rear wheel which proved to lo bo be In the tho brake drum Mechanics have havo worked on onIt onIt onIt It without lasting hasting results Tho The noise ismore Is Ismore Ismore more particularly noticeable ahlf In turning corners New brake bands have o been put on and nud wa washers w hers used to move Dm wheel far out bo so 0 that the Inner edge otlie of ot the lie drum would not rub Aty My theory Is 11 I that lint the axle Is too light and in turning side tildo lull hill th corners or running on a weight ht thrown on the outside or lower wheel causes the tho axle to spring In tho center lenter titus thus rubbinG What hat I is your jour opinion opinion i ion L L- LT T T- TD D D. Pasadena Cal Cat I 1 should suspect on one of or two places places- I either cither the wheel bearing Is ha very cry badly worn orn or the spliced end of the axle shaft Is Ls worn or partly broken This latter latterI would cause caUSO a n fearful earful noise when turnIng turnIng turn- turn I In Ing a corner Barney Bame Oldfield I have a lOiS 1518 Maxwell axwell which has haJ been I run 1000 mites miles Two pistons leak oil I I II piston ring on each put one I Within roo miles tho tile samo sarno thing happened hap hap- Would auld you ou advise three leak leak- proof rings rinG's on 00 each cach piston T. T 1 K i. Buffalo N. N Y Ye Yes I hell believe cc eve that three rings of the special I design n would stop the he trouble to a n. Boater greater reater extent but that ml might ht not hot eliminate it Perhaps the cylinders arc are badly out of or round or ormay be using too much oil I scored YOU ma may or an oil oli that It is too light lIht in bod both body |
