What a neat picture posted by pallmall of the old Ford outside Pringle Motor Supplies in the Manawatu. Bought to mind another Lincoln story. I have also been reading Scott Thomsons book....'Up to Speed'....the Roycroft years in NZ motoracing. Amazing stuff, and what a collection of photos, mostly B&W from the family album. I see one of Rons early speedway midgets was powered by a B4 engine, then a Plymouth 6. The B4 was the successor to the ubiquitous Model A but a much better engine in terms of smoothness...I think 'Henry' was actually balancing his cranks then. The B4 roadster became the machine of choice for the Hot Rod boys and with a V8 transplant was turned into some rather beautiful rods for the Bonneville speed weeks. So popular was it ,that to find a B4 in it's original shape today is rare, and I think a few have been restored back to their pre Hot Rod form. Anyway the next yarn features both these cars so here goes. A pal at Lincoln bought a fairly basic B4 while we were there. This chap, Brydon, had an insatiable appetite for cars and girls and we just couldn't keep up with his purchases and 'pussies'....the pillion variety, because at the start he had motorbikes. He was in fact the most hopeless rider....no 100mph pillion rides to get 5/- Morris's with him. Of course bikes are the most inconvienient things to carry girls around on, and some of the girls mothers had literally told him...'on yer bike sonny'....dont even think of taking my daughter out on that!! So while Brydon was casting his eye around for new girls, he was also casting his eye out for a suitable vehicle with which to impress these stroppy old tarts.....the mothers that is......and came up with a beaut. A 1938 Ford coupe... similar to the one in the picture......fitted three across the front very cosily, but Brydon being a very impatient bloke often had trouble starting the thing. With those old flat-heads you had to hold your tongue just right or they would refuse to kick into life. Brydon soon got sick of this nonsense and the next thing we know he turns up in a 1938 Morris 8 sports. What a sweet little car that was but at completely the opposite end of the performance scale to the V8. Problem was that Brydon found the Morris a bit TOO cosy with not enough room for 'heavy petting'. Blow me down a few weeks and a few different 'birds' later he shows up with the B4. It had had a mild chop 'n' channel and was fitted with a side valve V8 with special heads. It could go like stink, and was reputed to be able to exceed 90 mph in 2nd gear!! I think Brydon had tested this claim and the car had very nearly pitched him into the ditch. He got no sympathy from us and frankly was the most unsuitable vehicle for his needs, so he traded it, and the girl, on something new.....a 1936 Chev sedan.....of Roycroft engine transplant fame. Brydon had fitted this machine with a quick release seat back on the front bench, so that when things started to get a bit steamy with his latest catch, a sharp yank on the quick release and.....hey presto...instant bed!!!!!!! Thinking back on the starting procedure of those old flat-heads. I have driven a number of Ford V8 trucks on farms and almost without exception the drill was....full choke..full throttle. If it didn't start almost immediately you might as well have walked away and done something else. Can still hear that starter motor engaging with that ominous 'thunk'. Not sure whether they were 6 or 12 volt but the engines always seemed to be churning over very slowly.