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 John Summers & Sons discussing the poor performance and high maintenance required for a motor car after 43,000 miles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\1\ scan0255 | |
| Date | 28th March 1939 | |
| TELEGRAMS: SUMMERS, CHESTER. TELEPHONE: 200 CONNAH'S QUAY (10 LINES). CODES USED: BENTLEY'S; BENTLEY'S 2ND PHRASE. A.B.C. 6TH (5 LETTER) EDITION. MARCONI INTERNATIONAL. WESTERN UNION. BIRCHWOOD'S. LIEBER. JOHN SUMMERS & SONS, LIMITED. MANUFACTURERS OF GALVANIZED CORRUGATED AND PLAIN STEEL SHEETS, BLACK SHEETS AND HIGH GRADE SHEETS FOR ALL PURPOSES LONDON OFFICE: 34, LIME STREET, E.C. GLOBE IRON WORKS, STALYBRIDGE. BIRMINGHAM OFFICE: EXCHANGE BUILDINGS. ALL QUOTATIONS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ARE SUBJECT TO REPLY BY RETURN OF POST. Hawarden Bridge Steel Works Shotton, Chester. Your Ref. ....................... Our Ref. .......................... 28th March, 1939. W.A. Robotham Esq., Rolls Royce Ltd., D E R B Y. Dear Bill, Thank you for your letter of the 23rd, in which you give me such a depressing description of a nameless motor car. I can only say I think you must have been very unfortunate, as this is not the usual behaviour - if we are both talking about the same machine. I am very interested to hear that you have put up your endurance test to 50,000 miles. I have now done 43,000, and have had to have new main bearings, new pistons, two new back springs, and new shackle pins and bushes throughout. This does not seem to tie up with any 50,000 mile endurance test! Incidentally, I have just done 800 miles over the week-end, and consumed practically a sump full of oil. This question is the subject of an argument | ||