MOTORING 



By WILLARD NIXON 

 Automobile Photographs are Always Welcomed by the Editor of this Department. 

 They Should be Sent on Approval to Willard Nixon. 



AUTOMOBILE AND GUN. 



An evidence of the growing appreciation 

 of the automobile by sportsmen is indicated 

 by a novel plan of a quartette ,of Boston en- 

 thusiasts. The regular body of a 40 h. p. 

 touring car was removed, and a new and 

 larger body substituted, equipped with four 

 folding berths with pneumatic mattresses, 

 giving sleeping accommodations for the en- 

 tire party. The car is supplied with a ten- 

 foot, water-proof canvas ; is lighted by incan- 

 descent lamps, current being furnished from 

 storage batteries ; and is also heated by an 

 electric radiator, which is also put in com- 

 mission as a cook stove. The car is now at 

 Sebago Lake, where the sportsmen are en- 

 joying it with a degree of satisfaction which 

 may easily be guessed. Naturally all auto- 

 mobilists do not have such large cars and 

 cannot transfer them into movable camps, 

 but any reader of Recreation will appreciate 

 the value of an automobile for a shooting 

 trip, as it permits him to go long distances 

 from railroads, and to be entirely independent 

 of having to hire teams. 



Did you ever stop to realize that the gaso- 

 lene in the tank might prove very useful on 

 such a trip? Imagine a camp at the side of 

 rain-soaked woods where no tinder can be 

 found ! A little bunch of waste soaked with 

 gasolene from the tank, and the foundation 

 for a camp-fire is ready. Truly the auto- 

 mobile has many possibilities for lovers of 

 outdoors. 



Many an owner who has made no special 

 effort to have his car well groomed at all 

 times has experienced a change of heart and 

 regretted his indifference when he came to 

 sell his machine. It is a common practice 

 now among automobilists to get a new car 

 every year, if they can afford it, for the 

 reason that every season's experience brings 

 new ideas to the automobilist, and when the 

 new models are ready for the market, more 

 power, greater seating capacity or improved 

 mechanical features form an irresistible ap- 

 peal. Consequently he looks about for a our- 

 chaser for his old car, and although he may 

 claim, and justly so, that it is in perfect work- 

 ing order, if it be dingy, rusty, and battered 

 up in appearance, he cannot expect to get even 

 a reasonable price for it. It may be seen, 

 therefore, that it is highly important to main- 

 tain the appearance of the car as well as to 

 maintain the machinery. 



THE APPEARANCE OF A CAR. 



Although most owners are careful to keep 

 the machinery of their automobiles in good 

 order, the bearings well greased, the elec- 

 trical equipment in good working shape, and 

 all^ nuts and bolts tight and brakes well 

 adjusted, yet at the same time too little 

 attention is paid to the appearance of the 

 car, and the body is permitted to go un- 

 washed inside and out, the engine and ma- 

 chinery to collect dirt and grease, and rust 

 to form on certain parts of the car which 

 ought to be clean and bright. Such neglect 

 does not interfere with the best running of 

 the car, but it detracts greatly from its ao- 

 pearance on the road. 



HOW TO KEEP A CAR BRIGHT. 



In washing a car, the mud should be 

 soaked off and not wiped off, and if a sponge 

 is used, it should be applied very gently so 

 as not to scratch the varnish. In using a 

 hose, be careful not to spatter water over 

 the machinery^ Nothing is better than 

 chamois for wiping down the panels to a 

 bright finish. The inside of the body needs 

 attention, too, as the leather upholstery 

 should be kept clean, especially if it is of 

 the tufted variety so apt to collect dust in 

 the creases and around the buttons. Linoleum 

 is to be preferred on the floor of the tonneau 

 and front seats, as it can be cleaned abso- 

 lutely with gasolene, whereas carpet is diffi- 

 cult to clean and rubber is affected by gaso- 

 lene and oil. Brass polish should be used 

 regularly on the lamps and other brass work 

 Aluminum paint has been used to a very 

 considerable extent on motors, but to the 

 mind of the writer it is not nearly so satis- 

 factory as black paint so composed as not to 

 be affected by heat— Venetian black is an ex- 

 cellent preparation, and better than alumi- 

 num paint on account of the way it sticks 

 to the metal and doesn't show finger marks. 

 Aluminum paint soils very readily, and does 

 not wear so well as Venetian black. 



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