ISSN 0159-4583 Quidvis recte factum quamvis humile praeclarum* PR^CLARVM The Federal Journal of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Australia. No. 2-94. April, 1994 I ; -.i ^S'-WI !■■■ I Hill ■■■I I lf!3S! .1 "'' »v' ' ■’'X:’’" * 'X ^MXI ‘5?^'' ‘ ...' ■ ■■ S. -fcifL : '^YuCrTy-'I 97LK Richard Knight (Vic.) A Grand Silver Ghost Reappears * Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble— Royce, 1924 "I felt a tremendous sensation of power. And then I switched II the engine on. f For those used to being in the driving seat, the driving seat of the Bentley Turbo R is the place to be. It affords a feeling of power that becomes decidedly more tangible when the turbo-charged, inter-cooled V8 engine breathes into life, transporting you from standstill to one hundred in something under seven seconds. And, should you choose to make a takeover bid, you'll find more than enough brake horse power at your disposal. Certainly enough to enjoy life in the fast lane. Fortunately, stopping is considerably less dramatic, thanks to power braking, while revolutionary suspension and interactive power steering allow you to manoeuvre with astonishing agility. No wonder so many of the well-heeled put their foot down and insist on the Bentley Turbo R. York Motors (Sales) Pty Limited 101 William Street, Sydney 201 1. Telephone (02) 33 1 3377 Distributor: NSW, ACT, Vic. & Qld. PR/ECLARVM The Federal Journal of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Australia. PRAECLARUM (ISSN 0159-4583) is published six times per year by the Federal Council of the Rolls-Royce Owners' Club of Australia. Issue No. 2-94. April, 1994 Subscriptions: PRAECLARUM is available to overseas non-members on a subscription basis at $A50.00 per year by air mail. Such subscrip­ tions carry no membership privileges. REGULAR FEATURES Change of Address: Club members should notify their Branch Secretary (addresses below) in the first instance to advise non-receipt of an issue or change of address. Subscribers should notify From the Editor 2348 DISPATCH (see below). Contributions: Articles, letters and/or illustrations for publication Events List 2348 should be sent to the Editor, address below. Articles can be accepted as ASCII file on 3VS’ or 51/4‘ computer disk. Whilst every care is taken to check information published in PRAECLARUM, no responsibility can be accepted for errors, either typographical or factual. Views From the Federal President 2350 expressed by the Editor and contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the Club. Market Place 2363 FEDERAL EXECUTIVE ARTICLES PRESIDENT: Peter Cox, 48 Myall Ave., Kensington Gardens, S.A. 5068 08-31-6766 (’Phone/FAX) The Napier-Bentley Had the plans of W.0.Bentley not been thwarted SECRETARY: Wendy Friezer, 19 Keston Ave., Mosman, N.S.W. 2088 by the unforeseen intervention of Rolls-Royce Ltd, 02-267-1455 (w) 02-969-5834 (h) 02-267-1716 (FAX) the 1930s would have seen the emergence of a TREASURER: David Miller, Napier-Bentley car. Nigel Ferguson-Walker, 9 Banvard PL, Chapman, A.C.T. 2611 writing in 1960, recalls his role in this 06-276-2172 (w) 06-288-6910 (h) 06-276-1223 (FAX) fascinating but ill-fated project and FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS how it came to a sudden halt 2351 PRAECLARUM EDITOR: Martin Bennett, ’Allambi’, RMB 3310, Goulburn, N.S.W. 2580 Old Coachbuilders Recall 048-29-7140 (’Phone/FAX) some fascinating notes from Tom Clarke 2355 REGISTRAR: George Forbes, 345-53 Clarendon St., Sth. Melbourne, Vic. 3205 Two Aussie Ghosts in Ireland 03-690-1455 (w) 03-593-1455 (h) 03-696-2996 (FAX) After ‘Alpine 93’, two of the Australian entries DISPATCH: Eric and May Goudie, went on to tour the Emerald Isle. Kerry Wherry 25 Cowper St., Ainslie, A.C.T. 2602 06-248-5183 tells us all about it in her inimitable style 2358 BRANCH SECRETARIES Front Cover Photo: This magnificent 1923 Silver Ghost (97LK), owned for many years by Richard Knight (Vic.), Australian Capital Territory: has been the subject of along and thorough restoration. Its first reappearance at a Club St. John Herbert, 9 Titheradge PL, event was on October 17th last year when Richard brought it out for a Victoria Branch Chapman, A.C.T. 2611.06-288-0647 (’Phone/FAX) outing to 'Coliban Park'. The striking tourer coachwork is original and of Australian design New South Wales: and construction, by Waring Brothers of Melbourne. Photograph by Graham Cornish. Judith Merlin, 31A Terry Rd., Denistone, N.S.W. 2114. 02-808-3329 Queensland: Brian Brannelly, 50 Dunsmore St., Kelvin Grove, Old. 4059. 07-356-4963 lira South Australia: Melanie Sandford-Morgan, 2 Alexander Ave., Klemzig, S.A. 5087. 08-266-3092 Victoria: Robin Hickman, P.O. Box 330, Vermont, Vic. 3133. 03-872-3233 Western Australia: Jacqui Walker, c/- 53 First Avenue, Rossmoyne, W.A. 6148. 09-298-9116 2348 PR^CLARVM From the Editor The engine for the earliest 40/50 No doubt readers would have enjoyed Fred Robinson’s recollections in PRAECLARUM 6-93, p.2305, under the heading 60 546: The Engine for the Oldest 40/50 Rolls-Royce. Since then, however, your Editor has been supplied with information which seems to in­ validate the main thrust of the final paragraph of the article, which tells how the very early 40/50 h.p. engine found and rescued by Fred in about 1961 found its way into Millard Newman's 1907 1939 Bentley 41/4 Litre (B53MX). This car is notable for its extremely desirable combination of Silver Ghost, 60 547. 'M‘ series overdrive chassis and pretty H.J.Mulliner sunroof coupe coachwork. Photo by new It transpires that the engine referred owner Bryan Jones (R.R.E.C.) to by Fred is, in fact, still in Adrian Garrett’s possession in New Zealand and that the engine that went into 60 547 was found quite independently some Events List years later in Queensland. Both engines are very early so it may be assumed that either could be that from chassis 60 546, Branches which is known to have come to Members planning to attend events of other Branches should contact the Australia. More details please. Secretary of the Branch concerned (listed in the front of this journal) for full A Silver Wraith at last! details of times, venues, etc., and of other events not listed here. In these pages I have occasionally May 20-22 N.S. IV. Bruce Ross Memorial Weekend. alluded to my long-standing hankering after an early Silver Wraith. Of the cars June 4 & 5 W.A. Weekend Run to Margaret River. that would satisfy this need, WHD101, a 1950 touring limousine by H.J.Mulliner, May 14-15 Vic. Two-day Phillip Island Rally. is the one that would do so most com­ prehensively. Of the examples I have June 19 N.S.W. Annual Navigation Run. seen over the years, this one, which I first saw in the Melbourne showrooms of September 3-8 A.C.T. ‘Beyond the Black Stump’ International Kellow Falkiner in the mid-1960s, left the Overlander from Canberra to the Federal Rally in deepest impression on me. Nicely close- Toowoomba, Queensland. coupled with that superb, characteristic Members of all Branches invited. Mulliner styling, it looked stunning in Departing Sydney September 4. Kellows’ showroom with its original silver over dark blue paintwork and rich bur­ gundy leather. Completely awe-struck, I Federal sat in the back of the car and the sales­ man gave me a 1948 Silver Wraith September 9-12 36th Annual Federal Rally, Toowoomba, brochure which of course remains a Queensland. Hosted by the Queensland Branch. valued item in my collection. Exactly why Post-Rally Whitsunday Coast Tour follows. a Rolls-Royce salesman would give away such a collectors' item to an im- pecuneous lad of about 16 years old is International one of life’s little mysteries! The next thing I heard about WHD101 June 10-12 R. R. E. C. Annual Rally and Concours, was some years later when I heard that Althorp Park, Northamptonshire, U.K. it had been purchased by a fellow Vic­ toria Branch R.R.O.C. member, Jack July 26-30 ‘Continuing Elegance on Philadelphia’s Main Line' Witham, who used it as a taxi. That’s — the 43rd R.R.O.C. Inc. Annual Meet, right, a taxi. To adapt it for this duty it Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. was painted black and fitted with some- 2-94 2349 what incongruous looking 15" wheels and a taxi meter where the glove com­ partment lid should be! After the taxi-cab stint WHD101 was acquired by Arthur McDermott, late father of Robert. After it passed to Robert McDermott, he used it for a short time before storing it. Robert had several times indicated to me that he did not intend to sell it and that it was his inten­ tion to eventually restore it. Then, in 1992, Robert came to the realisation that he would need to live to a very ripe old age indeed if he were to ever get around to restoring all the cars in his very considerable collection. The Silver Wraith was well down on the list of priorities and so was offered for sale in Concept Java, as exhibited on the Company's stand at last month's Geneva MotorShow. Much the Victoria Branch Newsletter. I ex­ smaller than we have become accustomed to, it is powered by the first Bentley engine of as pressed my interest but Robert seemed little as 3.5 litres capacity since 1936—but with four valves per cylinder and twin turbochargers to get cold feet about selling it so I was to more than make up for the comparitively small capacity! Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd photo.