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 motoring topics and an advertisement for books.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\5\ scan0007 | |
| Date | 25th October 1940 | |
| October 25th, 1940. The Autocar 425 Correspondence and touring in this country and on the Continent (in normal times, of course) are my principal hobbies. Up to date I have covered almost every road in the Highlands, some of them many times, and also put in many thousand miles in France, Germany, and other countries. The only place I have not toured in is England, which I really think I will have to visit some time when petrol coupons become history. My cars have always been of English manufacture—Morgan, Hornet, and three Austin Tens, in that order. I find the Austin to be the only English car suitable for the hard work in the Highlands, as almost every car is too low. I consider my present 1940 tourer to be the finest touring car available on the British market. It really is tough, and by that I mean I can go over the Old Mamore road, full up with luggage and four on board, without even thinking about smashed sumps and scraping wings at the back. C. DOUGLAS DRYSDALE. Aberfoyle, Perthshire. But it goes, keeps on going, and as long as the piston of the S.U. carburettor doesn’t stay put, it has always started instantaneously, and during the time I have been here has only used 2 1/2 gallons of oil. But it is emphatically mis-described as a pleasure car. Nevertheless, it does its job, which is to carry me twenty miles to work and back each day, and its appearance matches the place—both altogether loathsome! I so enjoy your journal, particularly when you publish photographs and articles on old favourites. There is only one decent car here—a 4 1/2 Lagonda. All the remainder are large American or cheap English—incredibly badly run and driven by our black brothers and frightfully badly kept. There is a colony road, about 50 miles round, otherwise nowhere to go at all except to the bathing beach five miles away. My best wishes to you and your delightful journal. May it not be very long before we all regain our pre-war very pleasant existence. (LIEUT.) HUGH KELLER, R.N. West Africa. IRELAND AND THE SPORT All Activity Cancelled in Ulster [49824.]—I am surprised to see that under the heading “Northern Ireland Active,” on page 350 of your issue dated October 4th, you refer to a treasure hunt which finished up in Malahide. It is difficult to see how this mistake was made, as the Leinster Club is referred to, which is obviously a motoring organisation in Eire. I wish to point out that absolutely all motoring sport has been cancelled in Northern Ireland since the outbreak of war, and that we are as much a part of the British Empire as any other part of Great Britain, and equally as much concerned about the successful conduct of the war. HUGH C. REID. Belfast. [The reference in question was, of course, a case of simple error, for which we apologise in so far as any suggestion may have been given that Northern Ireland is continuing to run motoring events and thus differ from the policy of suspension of activity that applies throughout Great Britain.—ED.{J. L. Edwards}] THE 3-LITRE BENTLEY Bought for £5 After an Accident and Now Rebuilt [49827.]—I was very interested in several recent letters dealing with the 3-litre Bentley. During the first months of the war I purchased for £5, after it had struck a street refuge in the West End, a 1925 short chassis 3-litre speed model fitted with an open four-seater Vanden Plas body. No glass was broken, although the frame was damaged and the front axle assembly had to be replaced at a cost of £3 10s. After a diligent search a more modern frame with rubber engine mountings was obtained in London for the low figure of £1 15s. Little spare time has been available, but there have been short spells of vigorous activity, and the chassis is now nearly rebuilt, valuable help and advice being given by another Bentley enthusiast. The close-ratio gear box is perhaps worthy of mention; the gear wheels appear to be as new, and the instruction book lays down a maximum of 67 m.p.h. on third gear. It is hoped that the car will soon be completed and available for use in medical practice. T. L. FRANK. London, S.W. “BIG OR SMALL?” Close Identification Between Machine and Man [49825.]—In your issue of October 11th there is an interesting and thought-provoking article over the initials “L. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints}” Your contributor has not been quite fair to the driver of a large multi-cylinder car. Granted that the engine will “pull” an indifferent motorist out of circumstances which will cause a small engine to stall, I still, however, hold the opinion that to drive any car perfectly requires close identification between the machinery and the man at the wheel. To secure all the possibilities provided by any car, the technique of driving must be modified as necessary. With the concluding paragraphs of the article I am in entire agreement. LAURENCE H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} IDE. Hampton Wick. CONSERVING OUR RESOURCES Cars Should Not be Scrapped When Scientific Repair May Well be Possible [49828.]—It would seem that there is likely to be a shortage of cars in the future. The need has already become so acute that it has been found necessary to release a certain number of new British vehicles for the use of persons engaged in work of vital national importance, but the situation can be greatly eased by husbanding our present resources. The campaign for increasing supplies of vital scrap metal must be tempered with greater discretion, so far as road vehicles are concerned, because we hear of cars of comparatively recent vintage, capable of giving useful service, being scrapped. Possibly their erstwhile owners thought that a mileage had been reached which implied a formidable repair bill just ahead, but it should be remembered that, although replacement parts may be expensive or difficult to get, a worn or damaged component can usually be restored by one of the repair processes which are doing so much to conserve our national resources and making no small contribution to the war effort. C. W. BRETT, Managing Director, Barimar, Ltd. London, W.C.1. IN WEST AFRICA Contrasts in Style of Car Under Wartime Conditions [49826.]—How one’s ideas change through force of circumstances! After some fifteen years on “the only car worth driving,” I have spent a whole year on an old Morris-Cowley coupé—one built out of three crashes—and its service has been incredible. The pivot pins are so worn that it is knock-kneed (no spares are available here), the Kopalapso roof has a large hole in it, luckily not on the driver’s side, and its petrol consumption is on a par with that of a 40-50 R.{Sir Henry Royce}-R.{Sir Henry Royce} BOOKS for MOTORISTS Issued in conjunction with “THE AUTOCAR” Net Price. By Post. The Autocar Guide for the “L” Driver … 1/- 1/2 Look After Your Car... ... ... 2/6 2/9 The Motor Vehicle ... ... ... 10/6 11/1 Know Your Car ... ... ... 1/6 1/8 The Autocar Handbook ... ... ... 2/6 2/11 Motor Driving Made Easy ... ... 2/6 2/10 More Sketches by Casque ... ... 2/- 2/3 Automobile Electrical Equipment ... 10/6 11/1 The Modern Diesel ... ... 8/6 3/11 The Autocar Register ... ... 3/- 3/5 By P. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Heldt, U.S.A.: High Speed Combustion Engines ... 42/- 42/7 Motor Vehicle: and Tractors ... 42/- 42/7 Fuels and Carburettors ... ... 18/- 18/7 High Speed Diesel Engines ... ... 27/- 27/7 Full particulars of any of the above books will be sent on application. Obtainable from Leading Booksellers and Railway Bookstalls or direct (remittance with order) from ILIFFE & SONS LTD., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.1. | ||