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 Norton Motors Ltd. concerning the purchase of an engine and the limited information that can be shared from subsequent tests.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 133\2\ scan0036 | |
| Date | 19th June 1934 | |
| X4706 Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}5/KW. 19th June, 1934. Messrs. Norton Motors Ltd., Bracebridge Street, BIRMINGHAM 6. Dear Sirs, We thank you for your letter of the 13th June. We note that if you supply us with an engine you wish us to give an undertaking that any information which we receive from you will be regarded confidentially, this we are prepared to do. We observe that you also wish us to supply you with information obtained in developing the engine in carrying out our tests. We have been considering this point and, as we emphasized during our conversation with you, we think that you may be disappointed in the amount of information which we are able to give you. The reason for this is that we are not interested in single cylinder engines as such. Again, our standard of reliability is 100 hours, whereas the life of a racing motor cycle engine is not of this order. We therefore consider that it would be preferable if we purchased the engine, because we do not think you will derive as much benefit from our research as you anticipate, since any information we give you can only be incidental to our own work. It is probable that we shall supercharge this unit, but this again depends on our own requirements. | ||