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 to Captain Wilks of Rover regarding oil consumption, piston rings, and the market for English cars in Spain.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 127\3\ scan0093 | |
| Date | 26th May 1936 | |
| x 1091 Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}23/KW. 26th May, 1936. Captain Wilks, The Rover Motor Co.Ltd., COVENTRY. Dear Wilks, I was in Madrid the other day and the Manager of our Service Station there was pulling the Rover to pieces. I asked him what was wrong and he said that it belonged to a Rolls-Royce customer, and that the consumption after 15,000 miles or so of running had dropped to only 200 miles per gallon. The engine and chassis number were 33802. I said that I would let you know the facts and that if you had any better piston rings I was sure you would let him have a set. I expect you know all about oil consumption, but we have certainly been finding out lately astonishing things about what can be done with piston rings. There does seem to be some sort of market for English cars in Spain because our agent there is also the agent for Standards and he sells about 200 cars a year. Judging from the fact that I found it was not very difficult to average 75 m.p.h. on certain stretches of road, if he gets many Jaguars in Spain he is going to do a pretty brisk replacement parts business. His first demonstration car shed a main bearing after he had absent-mindedly kept his foot on the throttle over long! I hope you will let me know as soon as I can try a 16 and a 20 in production condition, so that I can decide which I would like to have. | ||