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 V.O.Co., Ltd. regarding the preference for using brand name oils over S.A.E. numbers in instruction books.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 145\1\ scan0251 | |
| Date | 21th March 1938 guessed | |
| Y56 36075 No. .2. V.O.Co., Ltd., to For this reason we would prefer to see the brand names of MOBILOIL "D", "BB", "A" and "ARCTIC" maintained in Manufacturers' Instruction Books even if the corresponding S.A.E. Numbers were given alongside as a guide to the user. We believe that when Vauxhall Motors instituted their numbered oils policy they also issued to all their Agents and Dealers a special circular letter advising them the actual grades corresponding to the VIS numbers as it was realised that in this country the branded oils have been established so many years that Motor Dealers and Users would experience difficulties in regard to numbered oils unless some special advices were sent out. Apart from this, of course, there is the export question where it is necessary to bear in mind the wide usage of S.A.E. Numbers in certain countries, and you may not wish oils to be put into your cars which only comply with S.A.E. classifications. It is appreciated that in your case you are proposing to include the name of the Oil Companies' product and a number, and not merely an S.A.E. number, and the above-mentioned features are referred to as an indication of difficulties which might be experienced. Apart from the foregoing, quite a lot of Motor Dealers carry cheap service oils which certainly come within the S.A.E. classifications, so that should you decide to include numbers in your Instruction Books I would suggest that in the case of our products you specifically refer to MOBILOIL instead of Vacuum Oil Company, or alternatively Mobiloil as made by the Vacuum Oil Company, otherwise it would be quite a simple matter for all sorts of types of oils to be put in your Engines, and their use would still be within the instructions included in your Manual as at present suggested. With kind regards, Yours sincerely, O.{Mr Oldham} Jones. OTJ ND | ||