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 reader correspondence on various cars and driving conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0310 | |
| Date | 9th May 1941 | |
| May 9th, 1941 The Autocar 413 Correspondence article is Walna Scar. It is situated in the Lake District, near Coniston Water, and is a definite road over the hills, linked up at both ends by main roads. I believe several claims have been made for climbing it some years ago, but whether the cars in question were driven cleanly over or man-handled over was not stated, but I should think the latter applied. It has deteriorated very much in recent years and now has many cross gullies and boulders strewing the track. On the easy side there are two rivers to cross, a grassy section of about 1 in 6, many gullies twelve inches or more deep, and several narrow hairpins with a gradient of about 1 in 4 in parts. The standard Ford V8 has not enough ground clearance to avoid being hooked up on boulders on many parts of the gradient. This road is marked on all good maps, and as it does not just lead to a dead end, I think it certainly best qualifies amongst the hills already described in The Autocar for the title of Britain’s most difficult hill. Try it some time! London, S.W.19. K.{Mr Kilner} HUTCHISON. FINE CARS OF THE PAST The 21, 30 and 40 h.p. Overhead Camshaft Lanchesters [50114.]—It is good to be so ably backed up by Capt. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Aston [50014] in my admiration of the old-type Lanchesters. Apropos my request for the inclusion of the Lanchester in your “These Cars Made History” series, I have just received a letter from a friend, himself a pioneer motorist, from which I quote: “I, also, would like to see under the series ‘Cars That Made History,’ the original, and other early Lanchesters, as unquestionably the old cars designed by Dr. Lanchester made more history than any other cars of their period or since. “If one casts one’s mind back to the days of genuine development there were very few cars, either Continental or British, that ‘made history.’ The vast majority were copies of the few that, for one reason or another, achieved a temporary measure of success, sometimes well merited, for mechanical excellence, but more often accountable to the influence of astute salesmanship and advertising.” One cannot speak too highly of the superb workmanship and finish of the big Lanchesters of the 40 and 21 h.p. six-cylinder and the later 30 h.p. eight-cylinder types. As to wear and performance, my father’s 1924 21 h.p. Lanchester covered over 100,000 miles without a major overhaul, and from the day it was bought to the day it was stored (in 1938) it never let us down. It had a very genuine 65 m.p.h. maximum (quite formidable for 1924 and for a car weighing just under two tons). It is one of the smoothest cars I have ever ridden in; in fact, many a friend riding in it has commented on its silence. I might mention that my father, having spent practically every day at the 1924 Motor Show, and trying various makes, decided that in the 20 h.p. class the Lanchester, with its four wheel brakes, the extreme riding comfort (due in no small measure to the body being built on a duralumin sub-frame insulated from the chassis by rubber mountings), good turn of speed and advanced design of overhead camshaft engine, was the best proposition in the Show. He placed an order and the car was delivered just before Christmas, 1924. Incidentally, when nearly nine years old this car was awarded a first prize at the 1933 Eastbourne Concours d’Elegance, in the class for chauffeur-maintained cars. My first car was a 1926 21 h.p. Lanchester with an H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Mulliner drop-head saloon body, which gave excellent service, but was never quite as fast as my father's older car. My father eventually bought a 1930 30 h.p. Straight Eight Lanchester, with Windover sedanca de ville body. This, in my opinion, is one of the most imposing cars I have ever seen, and has the most amazing top gear performance. One can start away in top without the slightest snatch or vibration, the eight-cylinder engine turning over like a turbine, and the maximum is between 75 and 80 m.p.h. This car was in every-day use until December, 1939, when it was jacked up for the duration. I enclose two photographs of the car. Puttenham, Surrey. F.{Mr Friese} W. HUTTON-STOTT, JUNR. Image Caption: A 1930 30 h.p. Straight Eight Lanchester, referred to by a correspondent in letter [50114]. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Better Quality is Called for in Low-priced Models [50115.]—I notice “The Scribe” mentions that designers are being retained by manufacturers to carry on their work during wartime. What I would like to hear is that designers are seriously getting down to the job of improving the design and curing the many faults of small cheap British cars, as I have been perturbed in recent years by the troubles which seem inherent in these cars. I refer to such major faults as noisy rear axles, poor steering, inefficient brakes, even faulty piston assemblies, and poor paintwork, all to be found in some degree on brand new cars. In visits I have had to make to manufacturers’ repair depots all too frequently, I have seen rows of new models brought in by their owners, and on enquiry the answer would indicate that they were all receiving attention for one of the reasons mentioned. Furthermore, one was very often advised by garages not to buy a certain model because it was the first year of production; they knew it usually meant a number of irritating jobs to attend to under guarantee. It may seem that I am unduly critical, but from my own experiences, and that of many friends and acquaintances, it is undoubtedly a matter which needs serious attention by manufacturers in the future. Such experiences would seem to be due in most cases to the makers building down to a price which is too low, and having to sacrifice quality in materials and assembly methods. I am positive that the majority of buyers do not want to pay the lowest prices just because they buy cars of low h.p. rating. In fact, the opposite is proved by the greater pro-portion of de luxe models sold whenever alternative models are offered. Perhaps other readers have views on this subject, for now seems an appropriate time for manufacturers to learn what it is that one class of their customers actually require of them. Besses o’ the Barn, Lancs. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} L. PAYNE. “AT NEARLY 70 THOUSAND” Appreciation of a Car Regarded as Offering Outstanding Value [50116.]—I was especially interested in your article appearing in the April 25th issue, under the above heading, and as a very enthusiastic pre-war Jaguar owner of a 1936 and 1937 2½-litre model, I venture to suggest that this very excellent article really refers to a 1937 model, and not a 1936. I notice that the car is fitted with Lucas P.100 head lamps, and side lights let into the wings. You also mention that the carburettor has no manual choke, but an S.U. thermostatically regulated starting device. Here, again, this was fitted to 1937 models onwards, and the radiator of the 1937 models had a slightly different appearance from the 1936, identical with that of the car in the illustration. In my opinion, having an intimate knowledge of all Jaguar models, the 2½-litre represents outstanding value. For real sports-car performance, coupled with comfort, excellent steering, good road-holding, sweet transmission, absence of vibration, and the passenger comfort and economy in running, there are very few, if any, cars on the road that can approach such value. | ||