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John Dare
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 144.138.194.156
| | Posted on Friday, 30 April, 2004 - 21:02: |    |
The RROC (USA) forum has just this day, invited viewers to post their favourite R-R/B "myth", and the usual suspects have appeared with early post war bonnet locks ("sealed for life" you see!) plus "the CHEAP (used) Rolls-Royce" (oxymoron par excellence?) and the contributions are "Rolling" in as I now do type. I thought I might tell them about a lone individual who I once heard about, who allegedly "knew" (he REALLY did - "HONEST"!) ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars. NO exceptions, he was..he WAS (reputedly) THE "world expert and authority", whether technical or historical, but alas, despite a global search, I have never been able to locate this veritable font of all encompassing "knowledge", so that I may obtain periodic advice/info. or assistance to resolve occasional (thankfully) minor problems with my R-R/Bs, and those of my closest friends. I guess this has just been another one of those myths that can be readily consigned to the "story" books, which is of course,their rightful place. Thank goodness for the Tech.section on this forum!. If however, YOU have a favourite R-R related myth, please share it with me, as many stories of "tall tales and true" have emerged over 100 years, many of which I expect to be both entertaining and amusing! |
Bill Coburn
Grand Master
Username: bill_coburn
Post Number: 141
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, 01 May, 2004 - 00:08: | |
Well John you did ask. You sent me scurrying to my Shorter Oxford and I now find that I am stretching the definition of Myth since the story is true. When the Silver Shadow was about 7 years old, I was getting reports of the torque arm on the differentiial casing breaking where it was secured to the underbody pan. I wrote to a well known authority in the old Factory and asked him 'Why is this so'. I may as well asked whether the managing director of the time suffered from excessive flatulence. Absolutely no knowledge how could I have mistaken these reports, there must be some mistake - etc. Humbly, I salted my chastisement away and scraped more gunk off the Silver Dawn chassis. But what is that I see before me at work, none other than a borrowed chassis driven by the managing director of RR Australia accompanied by a tribe of important looking men, arriving at the portals of my employment venue. Scurrying across I ingratiated myself, admired the car met the dignatories and returned to my menial paid tasks. Two hours later I noticed the car had gone - sadness and looking forlornly at the sweeping highway to the lake and on to the arching bridge - itself a prize winning marvel of some nameless architect/engineer and..... what is that I see before me .... the Silver Shadow that flagship of excellence abandoned on the bridge and the dignatories it had carried, walking back to the office. Guess what had broken? Did I trumpet my observation to the four winds? Did I rebuke my Factory adviser - no I did not. But now the story can be told. The offending torque arm was strengthened and no further troubles ensued. Re-reading this I don't suppose it equals the lady in Spain with the broken axle - but I tried! |
John Dare
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 144.138.194.54
| | Posted on Saturday, 01 May, 2004 - 19:51: | |
Dear Bill, I am considering the donation of a FREE (NO Charge!) part from my immense parts (used) stocks and unless your "myth" (near enough for me!) can be eclipsed, you are a "odds on" recipient at his time. Reminds me though, of the pitman arms which fracture at the hub spline area on S/Shadow 1 vehicles (to date, no "world authority/expert" has been able to tell me why this only occurs with RHD cars!) resulting in IMMEADIATE loss of steering control. Can you imagine the publicity and furore if this occurred with a "Toyota" (it hasnst!) / "Holden" (ditto) or even a VOLKSWAGEN, but with R-R, well, there simply appears to be a resigned "acceptance" amongst owners/enthusiasts alike, with NO public admission/"re-call", from the makers of "The best car in the world". Rather like R-R axles (or torque arms! which "dont (officially) break"!. And yet, assorted pontificators, those blinded, by misguided "loyalty" and others mesmerised (or duped!) by the perceived "sanctity" of the marque, get their shorts in a twist simply because they are "offended" by a few innocent words. They ought seriously consider getting a life. Membership starts HERE. In the REAL world! |
Bill Coburn
Grand Master
Username: bill_coburn
Post Number: 144
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, 02 May, 2004 - 17:04: | |
Yes John I really would like to know where and at what point the spin merchants/sycophants and mountebanks get into the populations of enthusiasts. The few times I have gone to the Factory I have had several operatives there and usually at a senior level say 'it is only a car'. On one occasion I had the pleasure (now I am at it) of driving the Company demo Camargue from London to Crewe. A delightful yet slightly terrifying trip given that the speed limit was 70 mph and my very senior passenger/host kept nervously suggesting we drive a little faster to cut down the noise of other vehicles screaming past us. So there I am hovering between 90 and a hundred miles per hour chatting away when in my typical uncouth thoughtless and tactless way I remarked, cocking my ear at a quizzical angle, "is that a diff whine"? 'No' came the immediate reply,'we have a lot of trouble with tyres and I suspect this set is a culprit'. I listened all the way to Crewe and wondered. The following day I was talking to the works superviser who among many other duties was responsible for the 'works' cars'. I mentioned my ill-informed opinion of the noisy diff and he said', 'Blast I've done that diff twice now'! I used to have an Aunt who was one of the lovelier people in the world (at least my world). She was also the world's worst cook. She could actually burn potatoes whilst boiling them. If one felt ill she would have an immediate explanation for the malady, its prognosis was always rosy and by the time she finished explaining I always felt perfectly well again. Similarly when you were foolish enough to accept her gustatory offerings including the burnt potatoes she would extol the quality of her culinary efforts so expertly and persuasively that your taste buds positively quivered with delight. She should have worked for the factory. A lot of the 'mystique' comes from the vast penumbra of owners and onlookers who for their own reasons of adulation/self importance/insecurity feel it necessary to generate apochrypha. As you say, the likes of us, we vulgar fellows who lift the bonnet and swear and curse while tending to the real car are here to enjoy the real world and the real cars. The bottom line is we enjoy our cars as they are,foibles and all. |
John Dare
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 144.138.195.214
| | Posted on Tuesday, 04 May, 2004 - 20:20: | |
Yes indeed, how could I have forgotten the differential whine on some S/Shadows at a certain speed, usually, annoyingly close to "normal" road speeds. I know someone who replaced many Shadow diffs.(under warranty) circa 1967, because traditional owners ("S" series and prior) simply would NOT accept driveline noises which had been absent from previously owned products from Crewe. Nor should they have! Later, a visitor to Crewe noted a security style "cage" which contained various (dozens of) Shadow diffs. and upon asking the nearest floor worker (usually the best sources of uncensored info.!) why they were so isolated, was simply told, "they are the quiet ones for America". In other words, some markets, including of course the Antipodes, got the diffs that America would reject. I dont know how the factory could live with itself!. I know what you mean about some people overtly generating and obsessively perpetuating the aura and mystique (see "legends and myths"!) surrounding R-R/B, merely as a vehicle for their self aggrandizement, or as you suggest, to compensate for other disorders whatever they may be. I find that somewhat disturbing, as our cars remain AS cars (albeit carefully made ones) and WE are (as we are often reminded) NO MORE than custodians for future owners. Leave the grandstanding and politics out, and simply enjoy them for WHAT they are, irrespective of which model/type we own or whatever terms/names (reverent or otherwise!) that we may elect to bestow upon them. Life is short and surely complicated enough as it is! |
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