Armstrong Siddeley matters

Sir,
I was most interested to read Mr. Bilwell’s and Mr. Taylor’s letters.

I bought a 1929 Twelve Six in 1931 with a delightful little crash-gate box mounted on the forward end of the prop.-shaft and a Weymann saloon body with pneumatic seats. She had a Watford magneto, and superb lamps which could illuminate the Fish Hill from outside the Lygon. I sold her in 1936 to buy a reconditioned-by-the-makers 1934 Twelve Six with preselector box.

A new star pinion, a change of mag. for a service mag., and a rebore 8,000 miles before I let her go was all the 1929 car cost me; she was trouble-free, but slow. Top speed under 50.

Examine the small washers behind the wing nuts on the opening screen; if original, they are minute ball-races.

The second Twelve was good, too, and much faster, 55 on 3rd and 65 on top with a much heavier saloon body. She was due to be sold when the war started but I ran her all through it, doing a fair annual mileage on W.D.C. work, and sold her in 1948, again in showroom condition.

I wish it were possible to buy as good an English car today but I don’t know of one outside the Alvis-Rolls class.

I have been driving since 1908. I now drive a VW and a Rover. I hope Mr. Bilwell has many happy miles out of his old Twelve, which should never let him down.

Sydney Stevenson-Jones.
Liverpool.