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).
Merits of acquiring competitor engines and cars, specifically the Cadillac Vee Eight and the Ford Lincoln Zephyr, for evaluation.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\4\ img133 | |
| Date | 9th December 1935 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (handwritten) USA (handwritten) To Wray from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Wraith II. I would in particular draw your attention to paragraphs 1 and 3, Page 3, of Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Mm./KW.4.12.35 giving copy of memo. received from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} in America, and the contents of a further cable received from Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} given under reference Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rud/KW.6.12.35. I am very much interested to note that the Cadillac Vee Eight with the special flywheel is the smoothest engine that he has ever tried and that the Ford Lincoln Zephyr is very rough. It certainly looks to me on the face of it as if we ought to instruct them over there to buy and arrange for one of these Vee Eight engines to be shipped over to us as quickly as possible. I do not think it is worth while buying a Zephyr for body construction as suggested because we can easily see and try a Zephyr over here and, if there is anything particularly interesting about the body construction, we can investigate it at this end, but in view of the introduction of the standardised all-metal saloons on the basis of the one made and tested in France, we cannot contemplate a further change in method of construction at this juncture so there is really no hurry. If you have not already done so, I should be glad if you would discuss the above points with E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} with a view to arriving at a decision. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||