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 from Industrial Rubber Products discussing straight-sided cord tyres versus beaded edge tyres, and proposing a test for Miller Cord Tyres.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\1\ Scan012 | |
| Date | 7th February 1922 | |
| INDUSTRIAL RUBBER PRODUCTS, LIMITED. Brook House, 191-192, Tottenham Court Road, London, W.1. February 7th.,1922. S.R. Chichester, Esq., Coombe House, Chieveley, Newbury, Berks. Dear Mr. Chichester, No doubt you will remember, many months ago, when we were discussing tyres generally, I expressed the opinion that I was firmly convinced that the Straight-Sided Cord Tyre was THE tyre of the future, and that eventually it would take the place of the Beaded Edge Fabric Tyre on the British Market, in the same way as it was doing in America. I was, therefore, agreeably surprised to see that some of the Rolls-Royce cars exhibited at the Glasgow Motor Show were fitted with straight-sided cord tyre equipment. I spoke to some of the Dunlop representatives on the subject, and they informed me that your people had definitely decided to standardize on the straight-sided equipment in the future, after having thoroughly satisfied themselves that the straight-sided equipment was superior to the beaded edge equipment. Now, I am convinced that straight-sided Miller Cord Tyres are superior to any other make on the market to-day, bar none. I know that I am laying myself open to a charge of being prejudiced in favour of Miller Tyres, but, nevertheless, I am prepared to back my statement in view of the knowledge I have of the results they have given as compared with other makes. What I would like your people to do is to test, say a couple of 33 x 5 straight-sided Miller Cord Tyres against any other make. At the present moment, they are guaranteed for 5,000 miles or Twelve Months service against ALL DAMAGE, but we are seriously considering the advisability of increasing the Guarantee ( for straight-sided Cord Miller Tyres only) to say ten thousand miles when used on such cars as the R.R. Now, as the Retail price of the 33 x 5 Miller S/S Cord is £13.17.9 - the same Retail price as that charged by Dunlop, the maximum cost per tyre on a 5,000 miles basis is .6666d per mile, and on a 10,000 miles basis the maximum cost per mile is .3333 pence. In other words, if we decided to guarantee this size and | ||