From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Customer's request to change their car body from wood and iron to all-steel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\3\ scan0182 | |
| Date | 11th March 1936 | |
| S/W C. to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}5/KW11.3.36. You have a car on order for Leslie Hawkins, to which you have allotted a standard wood and iron body . Mr.Hawkins has unfortunately been notified by Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} of the existence of the all-steel body and has naturally asked for one. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} appreciates now that he was in error in ever mentioning this fact to Mr.Hawkins, but the damage was already done. Mr.Hawkins is now insisting upon having a steel body. He rang me up the other day and I had a long talk with him about it. I have also had a word with C. and the outcome of these deliberations is that we have decided to allot to Mr.Hawkins one of the steel bodies and to ask you to allot elsewhere the wood and iron body which was ear-marked for him. Mr.Hawkins has definitely promised that he will keep this matter absolutely to himself. He was most unwilling either to wait any longer than had been arranged for his car, or to pay any extra for this body, and we have agreed that in the circumstances we have no alternative but to let him have what he wants. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} | ||