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 discussing inconsistent oil consumption results, Le Mans performance, bearing repairs and fitting a new chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 115\3\ scan0003 | |
| Date | 5th July 1937 | |
| W/P. Sr. from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Many thanks for your notes. I have no excuses for my delay in replying, except that I have been doing other things most of the time. It does not look as though we shall get over to France this month before the holiday as we at one time thought; however, thank you for the information re accommodation. The results you are obtaining on oil consumptions seem exceedingly inconsistent and disconcerting. As you know one of the Experimental slogans is "when you get inconsistent results, 99 times out of 100 it is due to something stupid". I hope that Hancock will be able to line up the results. Your car apparently did remarkably well at Le Mans. With regard to the bearing situation, this year we have been charged £120 for repairs to B.60GA & B.8.GA. on the experimental running you have done. We think it is fair to say that from now onwards any work you may have to do on them would have had to be done in any case irrespective of the experimental bearings being fitted. We should like your agreement that experimental order numbers for bearings on French Demonstration cars can now be closed. We managed to catch your new chassis just as it was going off test and fitted it with the latest type of bearings. To do this we had, of course, to pull the engine down, and re-build it. However, if, in future, you could let us know earlier when you are going to have a new car, we could be saved this expense. We do not expect you to have any trouble whatever with these new bearings, in fact, they are our final combination of improved lubrication which we expect to standardise in due course. Of course, things do not always go as anticipated, and, therefore, we hope you will be able to drive the car hard, and put up as many miles as you can, consistent with your demonstration work. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||