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 of complaint to Dunlop regarding tyre performance and advice during the recent Tourist Trophy Race in Ireland.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan204 | |
| Date | 12th September 1934 | |
| +7962 Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}7/KW. 12th September, 1934. Mr. Healey, Messrs. The Dunlop Rubber Co. Ltd., Fort Dunlop, Erdington, BIRMINGHAM. Dear Mr. Healey, You will probably know that we used Dunlop racing tyres on the Bentley in the recent Tourist Trophy Race in Ireland. Actually we were most disappointed with the tyre question. We ran six practice laps at racing speed on 5½" tyres and were told by your Representative, on examination of the treads, that though the tyres might last half the race he would recommend that we went up to 6" tyres. We followed his recommendation and in addition did a further six laps so that he could examine the tread wear on the larger tyres. Six laps being 80 miles you will appreciate that we were wearing our car out to obtain tyre information, and in this respect did more than any other car. After examination of the 6" tyres your Representative assured us that we need have no further apprehensions, and that we should complete the race on one tyre change without any difficulty. In the actual race, one lap before Hall actually came in for his first change we were being assured that the tyres were perfectly all right. The result was that when he came in after covering only one third of the total distance, no-one was ready for him and at least half a minute was lost on the first change due to this. The prolonged second change was due to a seized hub cap. You will therefore see that we lost 2½ minutes through having two tyre changes instead of one and half a minute due to being unprepared at the first tyre change. The race was lost by 15 seconds. | ||