Letters from Readers, continued, October 1952

Rolls-Royce Abroad

Sir,

It is not often that you can find a pre-war Rolls-Royce in this country and it would indeed be hard to find one to match the condition of this magnificent specimen.

This car originally left England in 1929 and until 1949 was continually in use, mainly on indifferent roads. After the owner bequeathed the car to his son, it was decided to change the fabric body for one in aluminium, but keeping approximately to the same lines as before. The only really big changes were the substituting the cycle-type wings for a more modern style, the fitting of a luggage-boot integral with the body and advancing the radiator a few inches, all of which have added further grace and charm to the car.

The engine was only opened up last year for the first time, there being over 300,000 kilometres on the odometer. Oversize factory pistons were substituted for the originals and these, plus a new coil and condenser, were the only new pieces that have gone into a still perfect and silent engine.

The car has now been running for just over two years with the new body modifications and, despite a slight increase in weight, averages over 20 m.p.g. on longish runs, with the oil consumption still remarkably small.

The rear tyres are pre-war Dunlop Fort with Wiresole retread, the spare tyre is a locally-made Mabor, and the front tyres are Goodyear. Without wishing to sound overwhelmingly patriotic, the all-British combination has given by far the best results and the others have been disappointing.

Finally, the paintwork is excellent and of a duo-tone grey and the upholstery is in blue-grey cloth. The whole job of modifying the car was undertaken by a small firm in Lisbon which, appreciating its responsibility, spared nothing to do a magnificent and difficult job. I do not think that the result disgraces the makers or the modifiers. Anyway, the owner is very pleased except perhaps when he continually has to make his way through admiring crowds to reach the car!

I am, Yours, etc.,

Lisbon. Guy H. Pherpuy

Cars I have Owned

Sir.

M. Paul Freres reference to the Peugeot which won at Spa in 1926 is most interesting. This was undoubtedly a similar car to that which I owned.

It would be interesting if M. P. Dufresne would confirm whether he had a guiding hand in the design of Peugeot, Voisin and Panhard at about this period. I believe this to be the case.

To Mr. Makin and Mr. Kearns I can only say I am glad to learn that they obtain from their Alvis Fireflys the splendid service which I had hoped to obtain from mine.

The troubles which I had were merely reported as facts, each one of which was brought to the speedy notice of the then Alvis Service Station in Jubilee Place, Chelsea.

As I said, perhaps I was exceptionally unlucky.

I am, Yours, etc.,

West Horsley. R. C. Symondson.

(Untitled)

Sir,

With reference to the article appearing in your journal Motor Sport for September, 1952, under the subtitle “Over 100 m.p.h. for a Week,” we wish to point out that the reference to the spring failure is misleading in its association with the name of Geo. Salter & Co., Ltd., of West Bromwich.

The spring which failed was a laminated road suspension spring which was not supplied by Salters, the springs supplied by them being the valve springs, which stood up to this extremely grueling run without a single failure or any trouble of any sort.

I am. Yours, etc.,

W. Bromwich  R. Salter Bache, Director and General Manager  For Geo. Salter & Co., Ltd.