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).
Critical importance of sourcing a silent tyre, threatening to switch suppliers if necessary.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\3\ Scan087 | |
| Date | 24th January 1928 | |
| X4565 HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To C. from EJ. Copy to Woz. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copy to Sr. Tyres. BJ18/E24.1.28 It appears to me that one of the most important things for us is to find a silent tyre. It is useless to have a silent car if the tyres make a noise equal to a thoroughly bad engine, gearbox and back axle combined. This tyre noise brings all cars to an equality - the noisy and the silent car, the cheap and the expensive car are all the same. Nothing can do away with the advantage we have held for so many years of being more silent than other cars sooner than the adoption of a noisy tyre. Please let me know exactly what/is the position now of obtaining silent tyres. Do Dunlops know that we intend to leave them very shortly if they cannot find a silent tyre, and that we shall adopt the first silent tyre we can find even if it is not as good as Dunlop's as regards wearing qualities etc.? So far as we are concerned, silence must come first in considering any tyre provided the other qualities of the tyre are reasonably adequate. The tyres on my car are atrocious and make driving a most irritating and trying experience instead of a pleasure. EJ. | ||