That RR story was an urban legend long before the internet ever existed. I remember getting into a argument with a guy back in the 1960's. He claimed that Rolls Royce would fly a mechanic out and fix your car anyplace in the world for free even if it had been built in 1923. We were both very knowledgeable about them. I had seen one once. He didn't have that quite that much experience.
There are at least 2 convertibles here in Boone, a dark red one, and a white one. I have seen the guy with the white one loading building materials in the trunk at the local Lowes. Very strange, you would think he could afford a pickup truck for his home improvement projects. Ciao, Graywolf ---------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Blakely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 12:10 PM Subject: Re: OT: Car keys - WAS Survival Kit > The British are born tinkerers and love it. I'm convinced of this having > owned both a 650 Triumph Bonneville and an XKE. A screwdriver and a few > small wrenches were essential tools of good motoring. Both had to be > continually twiddled with for smooth operation. Not to many years past, a > common expression here in the States was, "If you buy a Jag, make written > agreements with your mechanic to visit your car on the weekends." > > Rolls did have a different reputation however. The story goes around that a > vacationer in Vermont was driving down one of the state's ice heaved spring > roads when he hit a pothole and broke his rear axel. The local (and very > rural) tow driver took the man and his Rolls to the nearest town (population > 649). After inspecting the vehicle, the local (and only) mechanic called all > over, even as far as Burlington, in an attempt to find a new axel, but none > was currently available on this side of the Atlantic. The vacationer then > called Rolls Royce himself and explained the situation. They responded, > "Don't worry sir, we'll ship the part immediately." Three days later, a Brit > showed up at the rural inn where the vacationer was staying. The Brit > explained that he was a Rolls Royce mechanic and he had flown in with a new > axel and his tools and that he would have the vacationer motoring on his way > in short order. Well, he did fix the Rolls - and left. The vacationer was > surprised that the mechanic had left without receiving payment, but expected > that he would receive a bill later. Several months went by and the > vacationer was concerned with regards to the bill. He called Rolls Royce > again and related the story of his breakdown and of the mechanic that came > to fix his car. The woman who'd answered his call said, "You must be > mistaken sir. Rolls Royce's never break their axels!" > > Regards, > Bob... > -------------------------------------------- > "Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying > the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine > and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?" > -Martin Luther > > From: "Keith Whaley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Cotty wrote: > > > > > [...] > > > > > > Being an old design, the Land Rover Defender is due for the chop. > Because > > > it is basically a big Mechano (Erector) set, it has to be hand-build and > > > is incredibly labour intensive. Plus, it has design flaws that to this > > > day still prevail - like rain dribbling in the door - Malcolm Smith will > > > confirm this ;-) If you remark on this to a Land Rover dealer, he will > > > answer with a time-honoured reply that just about sums up the great > > > British car industry: > > > > > > 'Yes it's amazing isn't it. Don't worry, they all do that' > > > > > > <Land Primer ends> > > > > Having grown up owning a number of British sports cars, I remember the > > honored "rain rags" all of my friends and I kept stuffed here and there > > in our cars. > > It was part of the mystique, and while a royal (s'cuse me) pain, it was > > part of the experience, and one put up with it. > > My first sports car was a 1957 Triumph TR-3. I took delivery in early > > evening, and drove home in the dark and in a downpour, with the smell of > > those leather seats and dash covering, and the pitiful little windscreen > > wiper trying valiantly to keep the deluge wiped away! > > Side curtains not quite sealing off the splashing from adjacent > > motorcars, and just generally having the time of my life! Couldn't take > > the grin off my face with a wood plane! > > A succession of sports cars followed that one, and each provided a > > little better weather sealing, but yes, they all DO do that! :-D > > > > Just like all Jaguar's leak oil from under the dash, onto your pants > > leg. You put up with it or you trade off for more mundane > > transportation! I'd rather put up with trying to seal the leak... > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.514 / Virus Database: 312 - Release Date: 8/28/03
