Chapter 7

The New Orleans Car

This excellent little car is not, as its name might imply, an American production, but is made by the New Orleans Motor Co., Ltd., of Twickenham. A side view is given in fig. 21 an underneath view in fig. 22. The diagram fig. 23, which is not to scale, gives a general idea of the various parts. The engine is concealed by a bonnet.

The cylinder is not water-jacketed, but is provided with a large number of radiating plates cast on it. To ensure a current of air passing through these ribs a small fan is fitted opposite one side of the cylinder; on the fan spindle is a small friction wheel which runs on the rim of the fly-wheel, thus rotating the fan and causing a considerable current of air to impinge on the cylinder. This avoids the difficulty experienced in some air-cooled cylinders of over-heating when the car is running with the wind. Air cooling has the advantage of avoiding the trouble of refilling the water tanks, and of freezing in winter.

The crank case is not entirely enclosed as in the De Dion engine; it has two openings, one at each end, by which air passes in and out to keep piston and connecting rod cool. To prevent oil splashing out of these air ports, for the crank runs in an oil bath, wire gauze is fitted over the opening. As the crank-pin dashes the oil round, some is carried up into the cylinder, which it thus lubricates. See fig. 24.

On the crankshaft of the engine is a wide pulley about 4in. diameter from this a leather belt runs back underneath the footboard to the two-speed gear on the countershaft, which consists of three equal size pulleys, the centre one being loose, the two outer ones fast, but geared at different speeds to the driving axle, so that the speed is altered by the simple expedient of shifting the belt to the right or left.

The axle is a live axle, that is, it revolves (and is not a fixed axle like the ordinary carriage axle). The two different size spur wheels which gear with the pinion of the fast and slow speed pulleys are keyed to axle, and carry in a boss at their centre the differential gear. The belt is tightened by shifting, by means of a lever, the axle, and with it the countershaft, further aft. The ignition is electric, a coil and accumulator being used. All the machinery is easily accessible - a point often overlooked by other makers.

The wheels are cycle type, being fitted with pneumatic tyres. Four equal wheels of 26in. diameter. The writer thinks it would be difficult to make a more simple and efficient car, but in his opinion it would be better with a somewhat longer wheelbase. He is informed by the makers they are now increasing the length of their cars by twelve inches. The same company also make a larger car with two cylinders.