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 detailing the history and recommending checks for a second-hand car, chassis B.181.A.E., before purchase.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\5\ scan0041 | |
| Date | 23th May 1939 | |
| 261 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 23rd May, 1939. The Honourable J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Bethell, 27, Rutland Gate, KNIGHTSBRIDGE. Dear Jack, Thank you for your letter of the 19th May. We cannot discover from our records that chassis B.181.A.E. has ever had the cylinders re-ground. If the car has done 37,000 miles (which appears to be correct from the records), there is a possibility that it may shortly require re-boring, particularly if it has been driven under London traffic conditions. As far as I can ascertain the car had a pretty serious accident in January 1938, but it was repaired at Derby, and should, therefore, not be materially the worse for the damage sustained. My suggestion is that before you buy the car you get Kingsbury to check - (a) the amount of cylinder bore wear (which they can do by removing the cylinder head). (b) the condition of the big end bearings. These are the only two points that are likely to require renewing before 75,000 or 80,000 miles. It would certainly be worth paying £15 or £20 more for the car if one knew that these two features were completely satisfactory. With a second-hand car it is impossible to say whether they will be good or bad, because one does not know how a car has been driven. I shall be glad if you will treat the information | ||