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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 an automobile wheel manufacturer offering a modified hub assembly for testing.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 137\5\  scan0218
Date  14th February 1939
  
FWB THE WESTLAND 1159.
TELEGRAMS - - WHEELS STOURBRIDGE
TELEPHONE - - 57118 STOURBRIDGE
OLDSWINFORD
STOURBRIDGE
ENGLAND
Fred W. Baker
AUTOMOBILE WHEELS
Febry. the 14th. 39.
Your Reference Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}2/MH.{M. Huckerby}
Messrs. Rolls Royce Ltd.
Derby.
Dear Sirs,
Following my letter to you of the 28th. ult. I regret that your Chief Engineer was not available when my Driver called at the works, and I shall be obliged if you will inform me if he has returned.
I hope, however, the Gentlemen my Driver saw, were not prejudiced because the test Car I sent was not a "class" Car, but one that had been buffetted about for nearly four years covering an average of 100 miles a day.
The Patent specification enclosed No. 487,179 refers in part to the hubs on this demonstration Car but this does not disclose all the features, and I am applying for a further provisional in this direction. I can send you further Patents of mine dealing with "Unsprung Weight" but I should like to submit to you a modified hub assembly which you could try on your test Cars without making any alteration to the present structure. You can be the Judge and Jury as to its merits, but I can tell you in advance that it will improve even the Rolls to which nobody questions your claim of being "The best Car in the world". This modification, for example, dispenses with the complications of front wheel springing and is amazingly simple.
The fact that we have removed the shock absorbers on our test Cars is significant as to the merits of our principle, and while it is easy to write down claims, it is another matter to prove them, which is what the writer is prepared to do. If, then, your Mr. Rowbotham has returned to the works, and will give me the opportunity of personally explaining the features to him I shall be glad to come to your works at any time to suit his convenience. It will be for him to decide whether I shall submit to you test wheels for you to satisfy yourselves under your own conditions.
At the same time I shall be pleased to satisfy you as to the queries raised by your Assistant Engineers when Mr. Shawe called on you on the 30th. ult.
Yours Faithfully,
Fred W. Baker
  
  


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