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 from Levallois to Derby discussing Corniche body manufacturing, an 8-cylinder project, and other wartime business.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\5\ scan0235 | |
| Date | 2nd January 1940 | |
| 1245 To "Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}" Derby Levallois Sr/Dn3/MLG.2.I.40 Dear "Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}", Thanks for your RmIO/MH.{M. Huckerby}22.12.39 . First of all, I wish you the compliments of the Season! With regard to the possibilities of manufacture we can undoubtedly get Kellner to finish off one or two Corniche bodies with difficulty . However, these difficulties can be overcome provided we are in no hurry and as the war seems to have a lasting nature it will be probably wise for us to adopt this method. I do not think however that we will be successful in obtaining an import license rapidly even of a temporary nature to enable us to ship the chassis to France and back to England again. I will find out whether this is at all possible . There may be a loophole which may help us out owing to the fact that the cars when completed will be going back to England, which means that there would be no currency regulations to be overcome. As to the 8-cylinder front I told Paulin I thought that this was the work you wished him to carry on with , but he seems a little hazy about this particular job . Do you know whether he has got all the dope required or not ? It might be argued that I should ask him this question, but I do not seem to be able to get any answer out of him. He is as keen as ever and ~~just~~ in great demand over here. Bugatti tried to get him and Renault's have made him an interesting proposition, in addition to which another aircraft firm have also applied for him. We seem to have done him the world of good ! I am very pleased to hear that the other motor car section is still keeping its end up and I felt quite at home again the other day when I took out one of our customers cars for a run to try and discover why its revs could not be obtained, and as I feel satisfied that the time will never come when I shall be able to take up an Amiot Bomber to find out why the revs are down , you will understand my comparative lack of interest in the Aero branch . This, of course, is not for publication ! I expect to be over some time during the second week of this month as I have lots of things to do over here in the meantime. Incidentally, I got in a day's rabbit shooting and am glad to tell you that I was on the top of my form, having been | ||