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).
Magneto reliability, comparing Watford and Lucas products and the potential impact on brand reputation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 40\2\ Scan119 | |
| Date | 8th June 1926 | |
| - 2 - Whether a magneto is produced for a low priced car or not is unimportant, as it should of necessity be of equal reliability in either case. With reference to EFC's point on page 2. that the Watford magneto has been by no means free from trouble, I think he is mixing up two points, a/- We have had a considerable amount of trouble in regard to noise effects, which have been a constant basis for argument between ourselves and the Watford Company. b/- We have had very few failures on magnetos in the hands of customers. It is very important to distinguish between these two aspects of the case. A magneto which fails in service so that it will not spark is an entirely different issue from a magneto which may be complained of because the customer thinks it noisy. The latter does not interfere with the owner's use of the car, whereas on a number of cars the failure of the magneto means the failure of the car. In regard to the Experimental side of the question, I am not raising objection to continuing to experiment, but I certainly do feel it necessary to put on record the above facts, to prevent us hastily coupling ourselves with a certain Company's magneto which is undoubtedly at the moment under a cloud. This does not reflect upon Dr.Turner's capacity, it merely states a fact in regard to the position the Lucas Company find themselves in at the moment, which would reflect upon this Company if it were to associate itself with the Lucas company by fitting a Lucas magneto at this juncture. The conclusion drawn by most people would be that the Rolls Royce Company had ceased to put quality first, and were now swayed by price consideration as much as anybody else. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} By | ||