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 a supplier regarding spring failures during road trials and the subsequent manufacturing of parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\3\ scan0099 | |
| Date | 30th August 1924 | |
| COPY. Messrs. Thos. Firth & Sons, Limited, Norfolk Works, SHEFFIELD. BAF/JSR. 30th. August, 1924. Messrs. Rolls-Royce, Limited, Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Sirs, Referring to the visit on Friday of Mr. Whitehead, we beg to confirm the decision come to after carefully considering the situation as explained to us by him. We understand that during Road Trials in France, two of your 40/50 H.P. cars met with serious damage when it was found that in each case one spring was fractured and that the failures are attributed to the clips. No doubt the fullest information with regard to the failures will be given us at the earliest possible date. Mr. Whitehead informed us that it is your wish that Messrs. Woodhead shall at once manufacture a few sets of these springs with their own clips, and that we should be asked to make a similar number also fitted with Woodhead clips. Whilst raising no objection to your obtaining a limited number from Messrs. Woodhead, we prefer to await the opportunity of further investigation of these failures before manufacturing any more 40/50 front springs designed for front wheel brakes for trial purposes. In the meantime, we have, as requested, stopped work on all 40/50 H.P. front springs, but are continuing with the 40/50 rear springs and 20 H.P. front and rear springs of both the standard and stiffer type. We shall be glad to receive instructions regarding the further manufacture of our "A" type clip for your orders. Are we to continue with these clips for those springs (other than your 40/50 front springs) which it had been arranged are to be fitted with this type of clip, or are we to make the necessary alterations for them to be fitted with our old type of clip? As a number of these springs are now in hand, we shall be glad of this information as soon as possible. Yours faithfully, Thos. Firth & Sons, Limited. (Signed) Bernard Firth. Chairman | ||