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).
Car failure caused by a lead wire fitted for a wireless system which acted as an earth.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 63\2\ scan0252 | |
| Date | 30th July 1936 | |
| Y6153. S/W. Wst. re- Wireless. Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}9/KW30.7.36. Hancock will be able to tell you of a case of a car being put out of action by a lead that had been fitted by the wireless people from the coil to the distributor. Due to the breakdown of the insulation on one of the wires this lead acted as an earth and stopped the car. Hancock further added that as this lead was of no use and that there was no interference arising from that point which the lead was intended to cure, he saw no reason for the lead being fitted at all owing to the possibility that it might in other cases cause a similar breakdown. I should be glad to hear from you about this, because if you are in agreement that this lead is unnecessary you will no doubt take immediate steps to instruct any Wireless Company who are in the habit of fitting wireless to R-R and Bentley cars of the fact that this wire should be omitted from their installation. I should be interested to hear from you about this in due course. Wx. KWB | ||