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).
Internal discussion regarding the development and testing of a new engine type before standardizing production.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\1\ 01-page076 | |
| Date | 8th February 1911 guessed | |
| (2) the alterations had been incorporated before we allowed them to become standard we should not be in this lamentable position. For this I blame myself, not the Technical Department. The new engine is a big departure and I don't think we should attempt to manufacture it until, by considerable test, we have found out its possible weaknesses and drawbacks. On the contrary, it seems to me that we ought to set about building cars as nearly as possible like the chassis of Mr. Northey's first trials car. If we have produced such cars as this, I don't see why we should not produce them again. They are what the public want and they are what the public will buy. They have, apparently, only one serious drawback and that is chirping. Again, I understand that you are far from dissatisfied with the car which you are now driving. Therefore, we cannot be far off producing a good car of the 4½" type. By all means let us push on with the preparation of one or two sample engines of the 4" type, but I do suggest that we should not think of manufacturing these engines as a standard until one or two of them have been run 10,000 miles. At the time of Olympia we and our agents will probably be sold out as far as the month of March. If, therefore, we exhibit | ||