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).
The performance of Rapson tyres, concluding they are worse than other makes.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 39\1\ Scan177 | |
| Date | 10th June 1925 | |
| R.R. 493A (50m) (D.B. 175 25-9-24) J.H.D. EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. Expl. No. X1238 REF HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}6/LG10.6.25. To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} RAPSON TYRES. Attached herewith are copies of letters which we have sent to The Rapson Tyre Co. in connection with tests on their tyres fitted to experimental cars. There are a number of fortnightly reports which give the exact mileage run of each tyre but which contain no further information. We have not sent these. We think the attached memos. make it very clear that we have never encouraged Messrs. Rapson to think that their tyres were superior to any other make. In fact, we have pointed out to them very definitely that on the 40/50 as regards mileage, comfort, and non-skidding qualities, they are worse. We also attach a chart. A copy of this chart was sent to Messrs. Rapson, also to Messrs. Dunlop. Rapson has added the mileage of these tyres in such a way to prove that the Rapson tyres run a longer mileage. We have never interested ourselves in their claims, but by our method the Rapson tyres are worse than the Dunlop. We have averaged rear tyres only because the conditions on the rear are the most severe. The best results we had very Rapson tyres was on the 20 HP. On there the average life of the Rapsons on the rear was 8,300 compared with 7,300 miles which was the average contd L- | ||