NOT FOR COMMONERS

NOT FOR COMMONERS —or the hazards of buying unseen …

” Having acquired my specimen of this much respected and highly prestigious vehicle l’rom a purveyor of horseless carriages in England, following correspondence which led me to believe that it required little other than paint, you can imagine my dismay when this poor tired. old creature of better days arrived. The paint definiteb, did need replacing and to date has taken 81 gallons of stripper to expose the battered, torn and cracked aluminium shell which covers the partially decayed ribs of the once proud Mann Egerton coachwork. On arrival of the car we managed to move it from Toronto harbour to Brantford, Ontario, under its own steam literally, as it required gallons of water at short intervals. Of course the head had a very nasty horizontal crack. The overheating I have since cured. The head, block and water passages were choked solid with calcium. This was removed by using -4 soltitit41 ol one

ilion muriatic acid and four gallons of water pumped through the engine by means of an acid resistant hose-, from an earthenware container, the engine running time for this operation being approximately seven hours, followed by repeated neutralisation with washing soda (to uio, rising the same method of Circulation and later flushing with clear) water uht:1 nitrazine paper showed the water to be mildly alkaline (about 1,H2).

All water jacket covers were removed, and about an inch depth of sludge flushed out. The big bits were fished out with wire. The engine now runs between 70-80’C. I have since rebuilt the water pump complete, shall, impeller, bushes and seals. Needless to say my vehicle had had it very recent complete engine overhaul ‘ according to correspondence. I then decided to change the oil. After running to ensure that the oil was as liquid as possible. I removed the drain plug from the sump. Alter a lengthy wait a black glutinous mass of molasses-like muck slowly dripped its was inn. On removal, the filter looked like a bird’s nest with chunks of carbon and sludge weighing it down. I have since

desludged the engine and have a constant oil pressure though at 130 lb. a little on the high side. However, in view of the many skeletons. rattling so literally in the engine, I propose for the moment to let it alone.

I then turned CO the interior of the car. The little Of the origin-al leather left appeared to have been the sole diet of a starving mastiff. ‘file headlining described as clean ‘ was a series of bits of bare plywood hanging like strap.; in a subway train. The ‘ very clean’ carpets were rotted almost away and were impregnated with some kind of worm life. None of the windows would function and the channels had rusted completely away. Incwindshield was driven in at the wit and distorted, and fastened with wire at the bottom, all hardware being non-existent. The right rear door was held shut with a well placed wood serew, a moronic. action as all that was needed was a new Spring in the lock. The clutch adjustment is completely used up and the brakes are sale up to 20 m.p.h., the din’ has a howl like a wolf dog, the tyres need Complete replacement and the running boards are rotted completely awl. I suppose this is what comes of not being a member of the • nobility and gentry.’ “—Extract from a letter from a Canadian buyer of a 20125 Rolls-Royce. publiched in the September issue of t:le Roit,–Rovee 1?ffil,:tin. explanation could be the low prie paid for the car ?)