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).
Clarifying a misunderstanding over a car for personal use versus a model needed for design criticism and future development.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 55\1\ Scan170 | |
| Date | 15th November 1932 | |
| HS. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM R. {Sir Henry Royce} ORIGINAL re. CAR FOR WW. Many thanks for your very kind consideration about a car for my use here. There has been considerable misunderstanding about this, and I now realise that you do not particularly want 16-G-4., though it would be useful, and therefore you can have it as soon as something else is brought me, which Sales have promised to do. I understand however that it was your consideration, as 16-G-4. was not weatherproof, that caused you to suggest that I should have another car for the winter months. This I now understand, and greatly appreciate your kindness on my behalf, and the matter is now going through in good order. The memo. I wrote on the subject concerned a car for criticism rather than for my personal use, but for the criticisms to be of any value it is necessary for it to be here for some little time, and for us to use it from time to time under various conditions of mind and humour, so I wished you to prepare at your convenience an extra model of some type of car that represents our proposed future production. At the moment we are naturally interested in J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} 1. engine, J. {Mr Johnson W.M.} 3. chassis and engine, and Peregrine chassis and engine, and we shall be interested in Bensport. Amongst these models you might have one that you could spare, to be stationed here while you are developing the others. Such a car is always of great value while any designing is going on at WW., and also while I am criticising the designs, because speaking generally we can go and look at the model and realise the possibilities, such as it is impossible to do with the drawings we have available. It is a surer and quicker way. We are looking to you very largely, (and thank you for your efforts and ability) to let us know what, in your opinion, we ought to be producing to offer Sales for their criticisms and approval, that is, how far you think it is necessary to go with complications and novel gadgets to fulfil the requirements of the market, and how far you think we can do with the resources at our disposal. Naturally it is of no use asking us for that which we cannot achieve soundly and well, and justify our spending the enormous sums necessary for the patterns, tools, and equipment, that we must have for production. R. {Sir Henry Royce} | ||