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).
Proposal to fit a standby magneto ignition on the 20 HP car for foreign markets.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\J\November1922\ Scan21 | |
| Date | 14th November 1922 | |
| TO BJ. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} PN.{Mr Northey} RE. MAGNETO FOR 20.HP. CAR. X 3551 Replying to your BJ15/H91122., apparently the only thing we can do is to fit the cars for abroad with a small magneto already coupled and timed with wiring ready -for connection, as a standby for the battery ignition. I have not yet seen a Goshawk with a magneto but HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} reports that it detracts from the car's road performance. I am sending a copy of this memo. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} so that he can prepare a Goshawk for the Sales to try with the scheme we suggest. I must say that it would be a great pity to abandon the battery ignition considering it gives the best performance, and there are so many thousands of American cars being shipped all over the world which have battery ignition only. I remember Mr. de Salamanca particularly wishing that we should fit an ignition equal to the American Delco, and we should have thought that Spain would be a fair indication of other foreign countries and the colonies, the Spaniard being a very poor mechanic and not over industrious compared with our colonists. I admit however that battery ignition depends on the extensive electric circuits being in order, that it naturally is not quite so reliable as a self contained magneto. It has the advantage however, when a fault does occur, of being easier to diagnose, and generally easier to put right. (1) | ||