President’s Report - August 2024
In the early 20th century, a Rolls-Royce representative in Scotland received a letter from a customer complaining that their car wouldn’t start in cold weather. The representative promptly drove to the customer’s location, despite the harsh winter conditions, examined the vehicle, and determined that it needed a small adjustment. He fixed the issue on the spot, ensuring the car started perfectly.
Impressed by the dedication and service, the customer wrote back to Rolls-Royce, stating that this was the best service he had experienced especially considering it was so bitterly cold and windy. Weeks later, the customer contacted Rolls-Royce, asking for the bill for the emergency service. The company responded with a polite letter that read:
“Dear Sir, Thank you for your inquiry. We must respectfully inform you that there is no record of a Rolls-Royce ever breaking down.”
We may smile at this somewhat mythical tale that I am sure has had many variations and iterations over the years, however the underlying message is the dedication that Rolls-Royce has to the quality, reliability and excellence of the cars they produce and that we enjoy.
The month of July has been one of the consistently coldest in recent years, however this has not stopped us from enjoying some great events. Our early morning Saturday run down the Mornington Peninsula and back to club supporter Rob Brewer’s Carwood restoration workshop was well attended and our regional July general meeting held in Creswick attracted a record attendance of 70 people. The regional meeting format is one that we will explore for future meetings.
Coming up in August we have an abundance of events to enjoy. Starting off the month with the Technical Section dedicated to braking systems, we then have an early morning Saturday run on the 10th to RK Restorations in Carrum, followed by a midweek run, Wednesday 14th to the Tudor Village Men’s Shed for a BBQ lunch and finally a lovely Sunday run on the 25th to an award winning Gin Distillery in Woodend followed by lunch at the Pig and Whistle Hotel in Trentham.
The general meeting in August is dedicated to our younger members and will be followed by a pie and soup supper.
Keep warm and motor on.
Howard Wraight