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 to Shell-Mex House regarding the performance and suitability of Reformed Shell petrol in their vehicles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 145\3\ scan0259 | |
| Date | 16th July 1937 | |
| 1227. #582 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}19/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 16th July, 1937. S.G. Callingham, Esq., Shell-Mex House, Victoria Embankment, W.C.2. Dear Callingham, Thank you for your letter of the 1st July. Our impression so far is that Reformed Shell is quite good for detonation, but not so good as Ethyl. The freedom from detonation is quite adequate for an engine with an average compression, such as Rolls-Royce products, but, naturally, the Bentley benefits from the highest octane available. We presume that Reformed Shell is free from the disadvantages which we have observed in some other petrols recently. In one case an owner persisted in running on a spirit which completely gummed up his valve guides in a few thousand miles. So far we have not experienced anything of this sort on Reformed Shell, nor, naturally, do we anticipate anything of the kind on a product of the Shell Co., but we are piling up experience. We are recommending that all our Rolls-Royce Trials cars should run on Reformed Shell. We are interested to note the report of cold tests on oils. We shall be carrying out some tests in our own Cold Chamber before very long. Yours sincerely, | ||