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).
Policy of retrofitting front wheel brakes to older cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 73\3\ scan0324 | |
| Date | 27th June 1927 | |
| [Stamp: RECEIVED JUN 27 1927] [Handwritten: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X9940] To HK.{Col. T. Harker - Sales} from BJ For attention of Ps. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BJ2/E27/6/27 Re: Front Wheel Brakes & Pre-1923 RR Cars. With reference to Ps's memo. Ps24/RJ23/6/27, I attach copy of C's memo. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} and Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} R.{Sir Henry Royce} would never agree to our fitting anything to a RR car that was not in his opinion as good as we know how to make it. Our FWB's are R's idea of what should be on a RR. We cannot agree to put on any FWB less perfect. If owners of old RR cars want FWB's they may buy new RR's. Many are doing so. If we fit their old RR's with FWB, they will go on using their old RR's. The present FWB design is not suitable for old RR's. R.{Sir Henry Royce} had not time to start a special design, testing &c.&c. for the few FWB's required on old cars. We have refused to fit FWB's to old RR's for a large number of our old customers so in any case now we cannot go back on our decision and offend all of them, (many of whom have since sold their old cars and bought new ones in consequence). The pros. and cons. had all been carefully considered by the Administration at the start, but the above may help Ps. to understand better the other side of the question. Of course we could not do in P. what we refuse to do at W. BJ. Enc. Copy of C15/C14/6/27 | ||