Secret memo discussing a loss of interior body space on a Wraith model due to a battery modification, comparing it to the Phoenix model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 7\5\ X 604 Body-page173 | |
| Date | 21th January 1938 | |
| SECRET Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 604 To W., from Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Rn. {Mr Robinson} Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Mr. re Wraith. Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 5/E21.1.38 You will remember showing me at Derby the close-coupled body and the amount of room inside when we were discussing bodies for Phoenix. You were rather proud of the extra room which had been provided as compared with the 25/30 and the general view at W. was that it would be satisfactory for Phoenix, with which view I disagreed. You will, I am sure, be as much surprised as I was to find that on the close-coupled body built for me for Wraith we found on going to Park Ward's yesterday that 2" of body space on the floor line has been lost because of something to do with the battery. Rn. {Mr Robinson} did not know of this. Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} apparently knew but had forgotten. I find it impossible to believe that we are going to accept this position. I agree that an adequate battery must be provided but surely this can be done in a suitable shape or, if necessary, by having the battery in two parts. I think this is an instance which shows that the Body Department at W. accept accept modifications which interfere with the body from a selling point of view too easily, i.e. Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} ought to have made a fuss about this when it was first put forward to him. We seem to slide into some of these things too easily. I shall be glad to hear more from you after you have had time to investigate it thoroughly. Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} , | ||
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).