Vintage Veerings

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Apropos our remarks in June about economical vintage motoring, J. W. Moon, tells us he has bought a 1924 “8/18” Humber two-seater. It was used by its first owner for twenty years and has had only two owners since, the inflectmeter reading 88,465. And it is thought that no rebore has yet been found necessary! For normal stops the foot transmission brake is very effective, supplemented in urgency by the contracting back brakes. Fuel consumption works out at about 32 m.p.g. in town, 36 m.p.g. on long runs.

Humbers seem to be doing pretty well, for we learn also of a 1924 11.4-h.p. saloon which averages over 27 m.p.g., will reach 3,800 r.p.m. with a 80-mm. Zenith earburetter instead of its original 22-mm. Cox-Atmos and, to quote two good runs, averaged 27.5 m.p.g. and 37 m.p.h. from Nottingham to Great Yarmouth, 164 miles, three up, and 31.4 m.p.g. and 28 m.p.h on a 165 mile run, five up on the outward journey. It has been modernised only in respect on a Wolseley front axle with cable-operated 12-in. brakes, 5.00 by 19 Dunlop “90” tyres and a Lucas GA4 magneto instead of a CG4. These Humbers were higher geared (4:3 to 1 top) than, for example, the Austin Twelve of the same period. They also retained a cone clutch a trifle longer than some and had the rather inconvenient feature, in saloon form, of only one door, and that on the passenger’s side. This, however, probably made for a strong structure.