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).
Correspondence page from 'The Autocar' magazine featuring letters from readers on various motoring topics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0177 | |
| Date | 13th December 1940 | |
| December 13th, 1940. The Autocar 603 Correspondence mum (by corrected speedometer reading) of over 125 m.p.h. race, but because it did not I do not feel convinced that a Type 57SC Bugatti would necessarily show it “a very clean pair of heels.” The 8-litre starts from cold on its usual plugs, will run on Pool, is essentially dependable, and does 13-14 m.p.g. How do rivals compare on these points, apart from performance? W. BODDY. London, S.W.17. Brooklands High Speed Trial in September, 1932, irrespective of class, at 85.43 m.p.h. If the owner of the Frazer Nash “MV 1620” would care to get in touch with me I could give him a lot more information about this particular car. P. R.{Sir Henry Royce} WHITE, A.M.INST.A.A. Brighton. Concerning the Fastest Road Car Contest [49892.]—In view of Mr. C. W. P. Hampton’s vow of silence, self-imposed though it be, it would not be fair to profit therefrom by adding fresh coals to the furnace; indeed, I have no wish to do so. Suffice it to say, that by drawing attention to an anomaly among a series of what purported to be optimum performance figures, I appear to have done Mr. Hampton no disservice, inasmuch as his 3.3-litre Type 57S Bugatti emerges from the subsequent discussion an even more potent vehicle than he at first indicated. Although his curiosity regarding my Bentley’s absence from the Fastest Road Car contest—in which, incidentally, I do not recall a strong Bugatti representation—has no bearing upon the discussion, it is, I consider, fair comment. The two events selected, though no doubt the best possible in the circumstances, in addition to having little, if anything at all, in common with public road motoring, imposed a severe handicap on a very large car, particularly when running solo in a field of much lighter and smaller vehicles. The risk of collision at corners, with the prospect of damage to the weaker vessel, was a very real one. If that were insufficient deterrent there was the fact that, short of “tanking,” a path to victory (not at all in my line), the Bentley, in my opinion, did not stand a chance. It must be remembered that the B class (into which my Bentley falls) records for the Mountain and Campbell circuits, though put up by one of our leading drivers on a car which had exceeded 200 m.p.h. on the road, are little faster than those for the G class (Austin Sevens, etc.) and much slower than the records for the E class (1,100-1,500 c.c.). Such is the insurmountable handicap of size and weight on tortuous circuits. Confronted by such conditions on the public highway, the same driver pipes down, no matter what size car he may be driving. Incidentally, it was not obligatory for a car to be driven by its owner in the Fastest Road Car contest; in fact, if I remember correctly, the winning car was not so driven. F.{Mr Friese} LYCETT. London, S.W.5. The Frazer Nash with a History From Sir Clive Edwards, Bart. [49894.]—With reference to the “Frash” MV 3079, which has been the cause of some recent correspondence, I believe I am correct in saying that the latter part of its history was as follows:— In 1935-36 it was purchased from the works by an Oxford undergraduate friend of mine, who retained it for some time before going out East. It was said to have climbed Shelsley in 52 sec., and ran in one or two 'Varsity Trials in that owner’s hands. It definitely had a four-cylinder engine when I knew it. Eventually it was put into the hands of Mr. Semmence, of Worthing, to dispose of, he himself running it in the second Southsea speed trials. It eventually broke its crankshaft, but was sold later. It was at one time the subject of an illustrated advertisement in one of your issues around 1935 or 1936. Messrs. Usher and Morgan [49880] will rejoice to hear that in a private garage (till the beginning of the war) at Knightsbridge, possibly now at Ottershaw, there is one of the original Anzani-engined 'Nashes, with aluminium body, and the original high-pressure tyre on the spare wheel. Incidentally, with reference to the 2-litre Lagonda, mentioned some weeks ago under this heading, I think this is the car which once belonged to Mr. Edmondson, who ran the M.G.s in the Double-Twelve at Brooklands. Anyone who would like a modern 'Nash-type of car should try the H.R.G., and would soon appreciate the similarity between the two machines. Concerning the reference to the H.E. by “V.{VIENNA},” the last time I saw one was about eighteen months ago in Reading, belonging, I believe, to someone connected at one time with the firm. CLIVE EDWARDS. H.M. Forces. Further Details of a Frazer Nash That Ran in Many Competitions [49893.]—In view of the recent interest shown in a 1932 Frazer Nash, with particular reference to “MV 3079,” I regret I must disagree with your correspondent [49879], as I personally owned “MV 3079” for nearly a year in 1938. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the car was never driven by T. W. Thorpe, nor fitted with a six-cylinder engine. The engine fitted was the push-rod, o.h.v. 1½-litre four-cylinder. This particular car, as previously recorded, ran with the similar model mentioned by your contributor “V.{VIENNA},” in the 1932 Alpine Trial and won a Glacier Cup without loss of marks. It finished second in its class in the 1932 T.T. at 68.68 m.p.h., and also made highest performance of the day in the M.C.C. “IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE” Damage to Cars Caused by “Liftees” [49895.]—Mr. S. W. Nobbs’ experience with his “liftee,” recounted in letter [49883], was certainly unfortunate. I agree, however, with the Editorial footnote that on the whole one’s temporary passengers take particular care not to cause any damage to the car in which they travel. Recently I was unlucky, in a minor way compared with the damage that was done to Mr. Nobbs’ car. A mechanic whom I had conveyed a couple of miles or so from a bus stop to a railway station got out carefully enough, and then dropped a spanner he was apparently carrying in a brown paper package. It fell on to the wing and resulted in a noticeable blemish in a £1,000 car, of which the paintwork was scarcely marked. I should not have worried about it personally, but it happened to be someone else’s car I was driving that day. I am perfectly certain, of course, that the man concerned would not have had such a thing happen if he could have avoided it, but, unfortunately, there is nothing one can do about such occurrences. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} PARSONS. London, S.W.7. 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