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
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