From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Page from 'The Autocar' magazine featuring correspondence on vintage cars, engine theory, and other motoring topics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0303 | |
| Date | 7th March 1941 | |
| 218 The Autocar March 7th, 1941 Correspondence of 40 m.p.h., and it is astonishing what a small improvement in average speed results from maximum speeds in excess of 40 m.p.h. It would, I think, be of general interest to hear from owners of D.K.W. cars to what extent the apparent advantages are borne out in actual practice, and also what are the snags as compared with conventional design. F.{Mr Friese} W. RITCHIE. London, S.E.1. CAN A "DEAD" ENGINE FIRE? Unless Certain Conditions are Present, the Suggested Movement is Imaginary [50012.]—With reference to “Amphibian’s” letter [49993], I would like to remind him of the fact that the high-tension spark is caused by the circuit being broken, and not made, as he remarks. Where trembler coils are used, a spark can be produced by the low-tension current being supplied at the time when the distributor arm is making contact with the segments in the casing, a big margin being given to these when the ignition lever is retarded or advanced as required. If a coil (induction) is used to provide ignition, I fail to see how a spark can be made without the break being made in the circuit by the contact points. If a piston rests on top dead centre, unless the automatic advance is sticky and slips back at the moment when the engine is switched on, or if an ignition lever is fitted and is moved to break contact, the “heave” suggested as having taken place in the engine seems imaginary to me. W. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} BLAKE. Showbury, near Shrewsbury. CAVE REFUGE Eighteen Hundred Years Ago, as in Some Cases To-day [50013.]—As a few of our natural caves are being used to-day as air-raid shelters, you may be interested in a photograph which shows a cave that witnessed a similar exodus about 1,800 years ago. It is Victoria Cave, near Settle, West [Image of a cave entrance] A limestone cavern in Yorkshire, which, if not in use now as a shelter, has its history as a refuge—see letter [50013]. Yorkshire, a fine limestone cavern that was re-discovered on Queen Victoria’s Coronation Day, hence the name. Recent archaeological finds reveal that on two separate occasions—in the second and again in the fourth century A.D.—this cave and others in the immediate neighbourhood gave refuge to Romano-British families who had fled hurriedly from their homes at Ilkley. These had been raided and the local forts burned down by the wild hillmen of the North Country, and until order was restored the terrified people slept beneath the dripping roofs of the otherwise hospitable caves. Situated in a magnificent limestone amphitheatre, Victoria Cave is well worth visiting, and its exploration demands no special equipment, save only a torch and a good mackintosh. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} B. WOOD. Leeds. VETERAN CARS Other Recollections of the Early Lanchesters [50014.]—May I, as an old apprentice of the Lanchester Motor Company, second Mr. F.{Mr Friese} W. Hutton-Stott, Jun., in letter [49990] regarding the future inclusion of old-type Lanchester cars in your series of “These Cars Made History”? They were grand cars, built, not just made, and it is a thousand pities that they are no longer on the market in the old design, for they were, as your correspondent so rightly says, a great rival in design, if not in selling powers, to the Rolls-Royce. I should like to see some details of the two semi-racing cars of 40 h.p., built in 1924, I think, one of them run by Parry Thomas, who captured the 24-hour Class B record in it, and the other one run by Lionel Rapson. Regarding Mr. Hutton-Stott’s letter [49977] in your issue of February 14th, there used to be an old Lanchester car in the Daimler museum, which was reputed to be of 1895-6 vintage. Mr. W. Stuart Best [49973] certainly does not exaggerate regarding the finish of those cars, for his two were no exception to the normal standard. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} ASTON (CAPT.). Home Forces. [Every effort shall be made to include the old-type Lanchester in the series of articles in question. Many requests have been received in this connection that various famous models of the past shall be reviewed.—ED.{J. L. Edwards}] An Old De Dion Four-cylinder and a 1912 Morris-Oxford [50015.]—I notice that Mr. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Cook [49917] is enquiring after a 6 h.p. De Dion Bouton. Recently, when looking round the local scrap-heaps in search of “spares” I came across a pre-1910 De Dion four-seater. It was sadly lacking in paint, etc., and was a four-cylinder model. I should say that it must be at least 1906 or earlier, as our 1912 Morris-Oxford would look quite modern beside it. I understand from the scrap merchant that it had arrived under its own power about five years previously. The magneto was loose and very rusted and appeared to be of the rocker type with two magnets side by side. The gear lever was outside the body and had no gate, but a quadrant. Most of the car was complete, including the tyres, which looked as if they must be the originals. They were quite smooth, and showed no signs of ever having had a tread. I do not know overmuch about pre-1914-18 war cars. My greatest thrill was with a 1912-13 Morris, previously mentioned. I drove it from Exeter to Plymouth about a month before the war. The engine had not been turned over for three years. We took out the plugs and removed the mag. just to make sure that they were doing their stuff. They were, so we got ready for the struggle of the start. She started like a bird on the third swing. This car has a three-speed box (lever outside) and brakes that lock if you happen to put them on too hard. The carburettor is an R.A.G., removed from a “bullnose” Cowley, and is not much good, as the engine on this car is 9.8 h.p. I hope to fit an S.U. from a Morris Ten when the fireworks are over. The car will easily climb 1 in 6 on bottom, but is not much good on top. The clutch is a Hele-Shaw metal plate, running in the sump oil. It has to get very warm, otherwise it becomes “solid.” I managed to do Exeter to Plymouth, about 42 miles, in 1 hr. 40 min., which was not bad, I suppose, as it usually takes about 1 hr. 10 min. on a modern Eight owing to the hills. One good point was that the car did not boil at all; the original tube radiator is still going strong. RICHARD BARTON. Home Forces. “TALKING OF SPORTS CARS” A Special Talbot 90, Described Under This Heading, Seen Recently [50016.]—I was most interested to read the account of the special two-seater Talbot 90 in “Talking of Sports Cars” in the February 14th issue of your journal. My object in writing is in answer to “V.{VIENNA}’s” query as to where this car is now. I happened to notice it parked off the Promenade, Cheltenham, one Sunday afternoon about six weeks ago. Unfortunately, the owner was not with the car at the time. It appeared to me, also, at first glance, to be either an Alfa or an Aston, and I was quite surprised to see the “Talbot-London” badge on the radiator. The car had not been visibly altered or modified in any way—at least externally—from the description and photograph you publish. Although the general condition was good, it appeared to have seen some pretty hard service recently. The appearance of the machine was most delightful, and it is obviously a real engineering job. As this car is registered and on the road, no doubt your A 18 | ||