Cars in Books, March 1978

Sir,

In “Cars in Books” the private car referred to in “This Side of Paradise” may have been a railway carriage. Beatrice Blaine did not seem the type for pioneer motor tours.

Still in American fiction, William Faulkner’s .”Three Reivers” describes how a boy and a half-wit “borrow” the boy’s grandfather’s Winton Flyer (whatever that was) at the beginning of the century and, among other adventures, pay to be hauled through the mud at the entrance to a bridge. The local farmer ploughing this area heavily to ensure a regular source of income.

John Steinbeck hits a chapter on a family’s first acquaintance with a Model T in “East of Eden”. Two or three years ago a reader mentioned a 25 Dodge, with a run big end, in “The Grapes of Wrath”. Did he write about rebuilding the engine with a Second-hand rod and piston? The rings were held in place with brass wire which was left to melt off.

“Hope that wire don’t clog the rings”, said Al. ‘Well, that’s why I hammered her flat. She won’t roll off. I think she’ll jus’ melt out an maybe give the walls a brass plate”.

Would it have worked? Perhaps it was an old dodge for use on a worn engine with cast iron pistons.

Ashford H. FLEET