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MR. MAC ROBERTSON'S PACKARD
Mr. Mac Robertson, of "Old Gold" fame,
has just completed a most enjoyable
tour of the island in his new Packard.
Mr. Mac Robertson has been an ardent
motorist ever since motoring has been
in Australia; in fact, he was one of our
pioneers in this line, commencing with
an Oldsmobile with tiller handle steer-
ing, he has had more than 30 cars. The
latest is a 12-cylinder V-shaped Packard.
This car is one of America's best, and
is the latest model produced. The car-
buretter is made by Packard, and is
warmed from the water cooling system.
The cylinders are set at 60 degrees, six
on each side, and the valves, which are
1 1/2 inches in diameter, have a lift of 5-8
of an inch. The crank shaft, which is
2 1/2 in. diameter, runs on three bearings,
while the oiling is forced at 40lb. to the
square inch. The engine revolutions are
3600. The lighting, starting, and igni-
tion units are quite distinct, the Bijur
system being used for the two former
and a Delco twin distributor for the
latter. A dry multiple clutch is fitted,
while Helical gearing and the Hotchkiss
patent drive are adopted. A flexible
torque rod is fitted between the differ-
ential and sub-frame. The hand brake
is external contracting system, and the
foot brake internal expanding system.
A Waltham speedo and clock, specially
designed, are fitted, and are a very neat
job.
The car is very fast, and Mr. Mac
Robertson has had her up to 85 miles
per hour. The writer had the pleasure
of a run, and was surprised to find the
car doing 65 miles per hour within
100 yards. The time taken by Mr.
Mac Robertson from Hobart to Launces-
ton, hotel to hotel, was 3 1/4, hours, and
this included two calls. From this one
can judge the power and speed of the
Packard, and perhaps it is worth men-
tioning that Constitution Hill was taken
at 50 miles per hour. It is claimed
by the makers that these cars consume
less petrol per horse-power than any
other make, while one horse-power is
developed to every 3.4lb. In front of
the windscreen is a Liberty bell, which
when operated from the driver's seat
by electricity sounds a pleasant but un-
mistakable warning and at the same
time lights five coloured lights on the
top of the instrument.
The Packard Company were the origi-
nators of the Liberty aeroplane engine,
and during the war the company sup-
plied 95,000 engines to the allied Go-
vernments. These engines were design-
ed two years previously by the com-
pany's engineer, Mr. Vincent, and were
later manufactured in the Ford and
Buick factories. Later Mr. Vincent de-
signed engines of three times the capa-
city. On the outbreak of war all pa-
tents, designs, plans, etc., were placed
at the disposal of the U.S.A. Govern-
ment on condition that they were re-
turned on the termination of hostili-
ties.
Mr. Mac Robertson, who is very fond
of driving himself, carries his own ex-
pert mechanic, Mr. Frank Hopper. The
whole party have had a most enjoyable
trip through the island, and have great-
ly admired the picturesque scenery as
well as the good roads. Besides motor-
ing, croquet was indulged in, and all
carry home very pleasant memories of
Tasmania. "Spark'" trusts Mr. Mac
Robertson will be here again in the
near future, and, in addition, will be
the means of persuading many others to
come over and enjoy the beauties of
Tasmania.
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