“The [1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost] will be taking part in a rally with nine other Rollers worth millions of pounds at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey,” bimba.info. “Owner Andrew Courtney, who has had the guns deactivated, said the rich used to take the weapons to protect themselves while touring. Mr Courtney’s Thompson submachine gun and Webley revolver are neatly concealed beneath the running board of his vintage model.” Imagine a UK where subjects (not citizens) could carry a submachine gun in their car. Well, aristos in their Rollers.
I used to think it terrible when a classic gun like a webley or tommy was “deactivated”. I just keep telling myself that it was his property and he had the right…….. who am I kidding. Barbarians that would chop a classic gun are going to burn in a special hell.
“Deactivated” doesn’t mean the same thing on the Continent that it does here. For the longest time one has been readily able to “reactivate” those guns by replacing some small part, or fill a barrel drill hole with a blob of weld, or replace a firing pin. The Euros weren’t torch cutting receivers.
This is very likely to change as the gov has finally caught on that in times of real trouble, these “deactivated” guns may not stay that way.
Not at all true, the deactivation process is through and makes the weapon forever more a lump of steel without the services or a truly great and gifted smith.
About what I would expect from someone who calls it a “roller.” Why not go ahead and paint it metallic flake purple dichroic just to make it more distinctive?
“Roller” has been common slang in the UK for Rolls Royce vehicles for like a century dude. It’s not some urban hip hop thing. Calm down.
At least whoever the purchaser of that Rolla had the wherewithal to buy the Thompson. Many thousands of americans donated personal firearms to the British following Dunkirk. I’m sure most met an ignominious end in the scrap kettle at the hands of post-war socialist governments.
In a perfect world, the car would be deactivated and the Tommy wouldn’t.
In a perfect world many of the UK politicians would have been deactivated at the ballot box long ago.
“Owner Andrew Courtney, who has had the guns deactivated, said the rich used to take the weapons to protect themselves while touring.”
Isn’t that what guns are for? To protect yourself.
Now the rich have to hire bodyguards (with weapons) to protect themselves while touring.
I guess the modern rich don’t have the balls to do for themselves anymore.
consider this statement: Jack Nicholson can’t afford to own a car. If everybodies favorite crazy actor ( senior division ) got into an accident, the lawyer for the other guy would milk him for millions. Jack Nicholson calls a limo service. any liability falls on them.
same thing with bodyguards; you set the liability off on the bodyguard company. a necessary business decision
Not being rich, or famous, such considerations had not occurred to me. Best to call Uber, I guess, but I’m sure they won’t show up in a Silver Ghost, or even a Bentley. And per Uber policy neither the driver nor you (theoretically) may be armed.
I get the car thing, especially when you live in a place where juries routinely hand out ridiculous awards. But to completely abandon my protection to hired guards, on the theory that they will get between me and some loon with a gun isn’t something I would be willing to do.
Besides, if you are Jack Nicholson, you can tell Hollywood to come to you.
@ Rusty
In a slightly different vein, some people I know that worked in the more dangerous parts of the world maintained that the principal should always be armed. If you detail gets taken out and the bad guys are hustling you into a car to an appointment with a video camera and a knife, you would wish you had a pistol and a grenade.
I’m pretty sure that if I owned a car, vintage or otherwise, worth hundreds or even millions of dollars I would not even consider backing out of the garage unarmed.
And I’m not entirely sure I think the idea of having to stop the car, climb out and open the running board to access my Tommy would be an ideal option. Just sayin’.
“Excuse me kind robber, permit me to dismount the Rolls and procure my SMG before you launch an attack.”
“Only sporting, old boy. Duchess of Queensberry and all that.”
I shed a tear thinking of that beautiful tommy being “deactivated”.
Sad that he can’t have activated ones.