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 memorandum about providing a car for 'R', detailing his preference for an experimental model over a production car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 55\1\ Scan169 | |
| Date | 14th November 1932 | |
| HS {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To Wcr. from Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Car for R. {Sir Henry Royce} copy to Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} As I think you already know, I am arranging to let him have 20-G-4 as soon as possible. Apparently they want to re-paint it because as it is it is rather too showy for him. In a memorandum to me he says: “I am afraid that Derby still have not grasped the meaning of my memo., in which I wished to indicate that I had little or no interest in the present productions, but I wanted a car of any model that was fitted with some experimental features likely to be adopted in our future work. “For my own convenience, and the convenience of the household, anything I can drive will do provided it is weather-proof, or I can, for such a purpose, conveniently hire a Ford in our own village, because one thinks for such purposes, it would seem extravagant to keep an expensive RR. car here that could be used for demonstration, or other order getting work. “A new body on an out-of-date chassis would be the limit of wastefulness, whereas an old body (of good proportions) on an experimental (new) chassis would be my heart's desire.” Whilst I do not propose to stop arrangements going ahead to let him have 20-G-4, even although it means re-painting a car which is for demonstration purposes most attractive, because if I did so it would probably be some time before he could be given something else, but it looks as if an effort ought to be made to try to give him what he describes as “his heart's desire”. Perhaps you will discuss it with Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and see what could be done. I am afraid it would be too dangerous to let him have a Peregrine yet even if we were ready. Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||