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 discussing the experimental use of Citroen suspension parts on a Bentley and coordinating with Michelin.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0244 | |
| Date | 6th July 1936 | |
| W/P - Sr. X1104 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}20/KW.6.7.36. Citroen Parts. With reference to our telephone conversation on this subject to-day, we agree with all you say about the Citroen suspension. All that Michelin says may be perfectly true: the fact is we want to use the Citroen pieces purely as a piece of experimental apparatus. The reason we have chosen it is because it sticks on to the front of the Bentley with the minimum amount of trouble. The list of parts may seem formidable but they are all required for the experiment. If Mr. Michelin manages to derive any amusement from the list, we are very glad. We should like you to procure a set of parts for us and send them off. In case you have not the original list we enclose another. If you cannot get right-hand parts we will have left-hand parts. If it means waiting three days more to get right-hand parts we will have left-hand parts. The experiment has now been waiting 6 weeks for the pieces and since we have now decided to go ahead we should be very much indebted to you if you would deal with the matter with your usual efficiency. With regard to consorting with Michelin at Clermont-Ferrand, I think since we are not competitors we might do this, but exactly when is a bit of a problem. If you can give me a date when Mr. Michelin thinks he will finally have perfected his Citroen car, we might go down with the next Ph.III, which we shall not have perfected by then, and compare results. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||