1932 - Light Car Magazine A7 -and other - Review

[Tony Griffiths]

Probably posted before, but as the Light Car Magazine was on a poor-quality paper, these have been cleaned and are, hopefully, now easier to read. The individual pictures of the engine, and inside a saloon (at the bottom of the page) have come out tolerably well (click on one, then click again for a higher resolution picture). Unfortunately, the system of uploading has jumbled the correct order.

[Bob Culver]

The 50 mph + is better than many subsequent tests. Because of the risk of a slight imperfection in the surface few are sufficently brave or foolhardy to corner at 50 mph at the limit, but at more usual speeds roll is not minor. On twisting road a colleague used to say riding in my RP reminded him of his yatch. And that was with shock absorbers tight.

[Dave Mann]

I see there is a bit of contradiction, First it states" and up to a point it can be said that the car's behaviour on the new third gear is as much as it was on the old second" whilst towards the end it states " on third gear the car can do 35 mph" I've never managed 35mph on a crash 4 speed box RP or second in an 3 speed RN, the tester must have been flogging it.
The art department has been at it, the door finger plates aren't the full width of the door, whilst the clutch pedal has disappeared or moved to the right of the steering column, whilst the engine has the correct short fan pulley used on the 4 speed engines. I think this refers to the 4 speed RN saloon with the 26VEHG carburettor with the combined manifold which restricts access to the tappets and didn't have the Bakelite cover over the ignition and throttle levers.

[Tony Griffiths]

I see there is a bit of contradiction, First it states" and up to a point it can be said that the car's behaviour on the new third gear is as much as it was on the old second" whilst towards the end it states " on third gear the car can do 35 mph" I've never managed 35mph on a crash 4 speed box RP or second in an 3 speed RN, the tester must have been flogging it.
The art department has been at it, the door finger plates aren't the full width of the door, whilst the clutch pedal has disappeared or moved to the right of the steering column, whilst the engine has the correct short fan pulley used on the 4 speed engines. I think this refers to the 4 speed RN saloon with the 26VEHG carburettor with the combined manifold which restricts access to the tappets and didn't have the Bakelite cover over the ignition and throttle levers.

Thanks, Dave; the usual precise contribution! As for 40 m.p.h in second, well, when the red mist descends and the flogging whip comes out, I have (on the odd occasion) seen it. As these early reviews are all devoid of serious criticism, the press hospitality binges must have been rather lavish. Pity the poor journalist who was excluded from the next by mentioning that an ashtray might have been better placed a little more to the right, let alone that the brakes were feeble and the road-holding suspect.

[David Stepney]

My RP saloon, admittedly with the 4 speed 'crash' box, which has a lower third gear ration than the synchromesh box (1.74 to 1 as opposed to 1.66 to 1 for the later box) has been timed (by a friend in their Porsche Boxter) at 51.6 mph 'flat out' On 3.50 X 19 wheels, this equates to 3500 rpm. The same revs in third, gives a theoretical maximum in third of 29.64 mph and a tad over 31 mph with the synchro box. However, taking the car to that speed in third, it gets awfully busy mechanically, and I am usually in top well before 25.

35 mph in third therefore sound a touch optimistic to me, unless the speedo on the test car was a bit 'fast'.

[Dave Mann]

Oh I forgot to mention it has a Magmo speedo which are difficult to read.