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 complaint letter regarding a prominent engine knock, suspected to be piston slap.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\1\ scan0122 | |
| Date | 20th December 1934 | |
| TELEGRAMS: SUMMERS, CHESTER. TELEPHONE: 200 CONNAH'S QUAY. (10 LINES) JOHN SUMMERS & SONS, LIMITED. Hawarden Bridge Steel Works, Shotton, Chester. MANUFACTURERS OF GALVANIZED, CORRUGATED AND PLAIN STEEL SHEETS, &C. LONDON OFFICE: 34 LIME STREET, E.C. GLOBE IRON WORKS, STALYBRIDGE. LIVERPOOL OFFICE: 14 CHAPEL STREET. MANCHESTER OFFICE: 33 BRAZENNOSE STREET. ALL QUOTATIONS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ARE SUBJECT TO REPLY BY RETURN OF POST. REFERENCE RFS.P.1/1. 20th. December, 1934. W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham Esq., Park Leys, Duffield, Derby. Dear Bill, I understand from Geoffrey that I am one of the most difficult customers on the books of Messrs. Rolls-Royce Ltd. If this is the case, I feel extremely flattered, as I think that anybody who achieves any kind of notoriety with Messrs. Rolls-Royce deserves a certain amount of credit! To be rather more serious; in spite of what you say, my engine has very definitely developed a knock, and when it is cold it is quite pronounced. It has the appearance of a piston slap, but these pistons have only done about 6,000 miles, whereas the original ones were quite quiet after they had done 16,000. The point is this, however - that I have undertaken that the car shall be passed by you and Park Wards before it is handed over, and I do not imagine that they will take it in its present condition. I am not prepared to have to spend any money on the motor car, and no doubt, if and when the cause of this knock is discovered, it will be put right under the | ||