Decoking a Rolls-Royce

Sir,

What bull! So a normal decoke on a Rolls can cost up to £100 per cylinder, can it? I am curious to know where Mr. Bucknall got his information. I have been engaged in the overhaul of a 1931 25-h.p. Rolls-Royce just recently, and the total cost was as follows:—

Main bearings remetalled and bored: £18
Rebore 4020: £6 6s
New pistons, rings, gudgeon pins: £8 10s
New small ends: £1 10s
New exhaust valves: £3 3s
New valve springs, oil seals: £3 12s
New tappet rollers: £5
New tappet roller pins: £2 7s
New ball races: £5 8s
Carburetter needles and jets: £4 10s
Relined slipper drive: £1 7s
Clutch liners: £3 2s
New rocker arm bushes: £3
Stove enamel cylinder head-block: £3
Gaskets and lock tabs: £21 1s

The total is considerably less at £71 6s. than the cost of decoking one of Mr. Bucknall’s cylinders. I should explain that all the bushes were produced locally, and the exhaust valves are modified Austin. The pistons were a tremendous bargain, as there are still some sets available for the 25-h.p. at various oversizes. I would be pleased to send them to any enthusiast who writes. I will admit that R.-R. prices are high, but it must be borne in mind that most of the parts are produced from the best materials and in small numbers, so they are bound to be expensive. At all times R.-R. have been most helpful. Any problems, however small, receive prompt attention.

It is to the credit of R.-R. that they still produce parts for all pre-war cars except the Silver Ghost. I wonder if parts from Mercedes cars made in the ’20s are still available from Mercedes Benz? However, I must agree with Mr. Boddy on two accounts. Firstly, the current Mercedes is technically a more advanced car than the one from Crewe, but the standard of the engineering is no better, if as good. Secondly, in your own words of a couple of years ago, “If a certain small car is an investment, then a good Derby-built Rolls must represent gilt-edged security.”

S.A.C. C. DOYLE, R.A.F.
Doncaster.