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).
Letter concerning a customer's objection to silent tyres and the subsequent action taken.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 45\2\ Scan149 | |
| Date | 1st May 1929 | |
| COPY 1st. May 1929. (Dict.30th.ult). W.A. Robotham, Esq., Rolls-Royce Ltd., DERBY. Dear Mr. Robotham: Regarding the silent type of tyre - I think you might be interested to know that we have received the first objection we have heard of to tyres of this type. The objection was made by Mr. Antweiler who, I believe, is a Director of Mulliners, the local body people. He appears to own two 20 h.p. Rolls-Royce cars and has instructed our Birmingham Depot to take off the original equipment of silent tyres and substitute the buttressed triple stud. Our District Manager hesitated to do this, because, according to our instructions, no interference must take place with the original equipment of Rolls-Royce cars, unless first by reference to us and the receipt of our instructions. I, therefore, looked into the matter personally, and I drew up a few notes for the guidance of our Manager in handling the situation, and I am enclosing you a copy of these notes. The matter was appropriately put to Mr. Antweiler, but nevertheless we could not shake his decision. He instructed us to remove the silent tyres and to supply him with a set of triple stud tyres. This was accordingly done. Our District Manager, however, expresses himself personally as satisfied that the alleged troubles are purely a matter of imagination, but Mr. Antweiler is a very peculiar man to deal with and, of course, we cannot legitimately refuse to supply him with any tyres from our current programme which he may decide to adopt. I thought, however, that as Mr. Antweiler may have something to say about the Rolls-Royce practice of fitting these tyres as original equipment, and may even transmit some complaint to you, it would be better if I gave you this information as to what the circumstances are, so that the appropriate officials at your end would know how to handle the situation. | ||