T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 92

LH 9/13/42 Hythe 20 April Dear Mr Brough I am sorry for the delay - but one of the motor boats that are my present A.E.C. concern had to go to Scotland, and after we got there they kept me a fortnight to explain bits of her to them. So all my letters had a long wait here for me. Thank you very much for the adaptor. I am fitting it at once and will let you know if that ends the oiling-up. The Scot-bike has only done 1100 miles! But I have motor-boated 3000 since I saw you, so the average of movement is not so bad. As for starting, I was saying to myself that it is the easiest-started Brough of my experience, when along came your letter. I had difficulty with her once, in Charing Cross Road. The exhaust valve lifter came adrift in its inside, and stuck up, or down whichever it is. I had to take it out before she would go off: but it went back all right, and she is perfect now. It is the first "100" that I regularly kick over from the saddle, instead of bouncing over compression on the stand. The Kidge could: just kick hot. The only fault I have to find is that the primary chain case dribbles oil whenever she stands still - which I was in Sco... she was in store here, & made a dirty pool under herself. As soon as I have time I will have the chain-guard off & find out where the oil all comes from: but for the moment I have a rush of arrears to do, and so long as she runs perfectly I don't care. She is extraordinarily fast, with a following wind and downhill. I got over the hundred on Easter Monday in the New Forest. Yours sincerely T E Shaw.