THE SORDID MATTER OF COIN The world is indebted to m' learned friend, Mr Mawson on his erudite explanations of our various currencies over the last 2000 years. Thank you, Michael - I know I shall sleep soundly when I snuff the candle tonight. However, just one or two miniscule additions if I may? The two shilling piece was also know as the 'two bob bit' You referred to the dollar and half dollar? This may cause confusion in the western or antipodean colonies as to the existence of dollar or half dollar terminologies? In those far off days when the Pound could actually be exchanged for another unit of currency (though who would want to do this, I can't possibly imagine) a rate of exchange which prevailed for years for the United States dollar, was 4 of their dollars for 1 of our Pounds (or Pinds if you live in Esher or Virginia Water?) Conveniently, as the Pound was 20 shillings and a quarter of a Pound was 5 shillings (or a Crown), I believe the cockneys called it a dollar? Even more conveniently 2/6 being Half a Crown, logically became half a dollar. As to someone's query on what we now call loose change, I refer to mine as 'bottle tops' and they're about as interesting and as negotiable as those aluminium French Francs of 40 odd years ago. Shiny, tiny - and mostly useless.
THE SAFETY ISSUES ON HARDTOPS This applied to NEW Spitfires and was not an in-built design feature. The steel factory hardtop can be fitted using just the screenrail and rear deck hardware in isolation. However, I saw many examples of Spitfires (Mks 1 to 3) with factory hardtops that had been rolled. The cars where the occupants emerged unscathed (though shaken) had tops where the side pegs were firmly bolted in position. Those without side pegs usually were pulled off the car as it went over - causing injury. I never saw a Mk 4 hardtop that had suffered a similar fate so can't speak for its solidity. I stress this 'safety' aspect of the more rounded/totoise shaped metal top on earlier models was not designed in - it just happened to work out like that. Until I sold my Mk 3 a year ago, I never fitted the hardtop without the side pegs, even though I never drove it in a manner likely to roll the car - but it seemed a sensible thing to do. Draw your own conclusions - but I'd recommend anyone with a factory hardtop ensures it's as firmly locked in position as possible. Those side pegs were put there for a purpose - you might as well use them Jonmac Last few book copies "In The Shadow of my Father" at www.toolbox.ndirect.co.uk/triumphbook /// [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list /// Send admin requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool /// Archives at http://www.team.net/archive /// Send list postings to [EMAIL PROTECTED] /// Edit your replies! If they include this trailer, they will NOT be sent.
