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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).
Conversation about competitor vehicles including Cadillac, Packard, and Essex Terraplane, and arrangements for testing and parts.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 173\2\  img224
Date  14th March 1934
  
To Ag. From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}
c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer}

I had a conversation on the telephone with Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} last night.

As regards the cars to purchase he recommends the 16 cyl. Cadillac. He describes this car as being wonderfully smooth and silent and having very good riding qualities. He expects that we shall criticise it on English roads as regards the size and controllability, but for the back seat passenger he thinks it is undoubtedly the best motorcar he has tried.

As regards the Packard, General Motors lent him one of these cars and he did a considerable amount of running with it. He considers it is the best 12cyl. car he has tried but the riding of the car is only average. Packards are expecting in about six months time to be in production with the independent springing fitted to the front of this car.

With reference to the Essex Terraplane Six Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} said that these cars are now being delivered for sale in England and that there should be no difficulty in us obtaining one from Shaw & Kilburn. He considers the 6 cyl. Terraplane to be smoother and more silent than our present 25 HP. with approximately the same performance. The 8 cyl. Terraplane has an advantage over the 6 cyl. for smoothness at high speeds.

He has made arrangements with General Motors for them to supply us with a La{L. A. Archer} Salle front end with all the necessary parts for independent wheel suspension. We sent him out the drawing of the Phantom front end and he considers that the La{L. A. Archer} Salle parts could be fitted to one of our Standard Phantoms without much difficulty.

We shall be having one of the first 16 cyl. Cadillacs to be delivered. They expect it to be completed by the middle of April. Oy. has promised to pass off the car personally before it leaves. The car will be brought into England on a Triptique and he is arranging that the car should be licenced in U.S.A. by Mr Inskip. We ought to get the car over here early in May.

Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} pointed out that his experience with the Bentley car out there had convinced him that the car was totally unfit for U.S.A. conditions.

I had a few words with Oy. He mentioned that most of his work during the past three years was given in the paper he had read before the S.A.E. They considered the scheme they were using was definitely better than the Dubonnet and he did not think there
  
  


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