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).
The timing of critic reviews and a proposal for a standard 10,000-mile test for new parts and cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0003 | |
| Date | 4th June 1926 | |
| contd :- -2- It appears to us wrong that the critics who are instructed by you to finally decide whether a part is satis-factory, should only start their tests after all the money has been spent in designing, producing, experimental work, running 10,000 miles and after that the parts have been standardised, material ordered and the parts put in hand in the Works, and then at that juncture, their final criticism starts. The only reason that this scheme can work is because there is so very little for the final critics to say due to the skill and work which has been put into the job before it arrives to them. The recent Phantom car (11-EX) which has run 17,000 miles by Sales critics, rather confirms this. We have only one object in view and that is to make sure that all experimental work is carried out most efficiently and economically. We attach herewith a proposal for a standard method of carrying out a 10,000 miles test from which we think we might enable better results to be obtained at less cost in time and money. We should like a settlement on this point because within the next two or three days we expect to be sending 12-EX (Phantom) car to France. We also want to fit to the present proposed Sales 20 HP. car a number of new experimental parts. Apart from producing experimental cars for Sales, we should say that the amount of work proposed in BJ3/DN4.6.26. would keep the Experimental Dept. (Test Section) employed for at least a month. We have also been asked to supply hydraulic and friction type shock dampers so that they can be contd :- | ||