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).
Success and concerns regarding a body subframe, including a planned 10,000-mile endurance test.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\3\ scan0125 | |
| Date | 29th October 1925 | |
| Y3688 Dictated by Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} but not seen. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/LG. Expl: Dept: 29th. Oct. 1925. OY. from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} RE. BODY SUBFRAME. Thank you for your OY9-E-101925. The subframe is undoubtedly successful in reducing body booms. It is the most successful thing we have tried for this complaint. I doubt very much however, whether we shall ever make a success of it. You realise the coachbuilding business on this side - we sell chassis and they go to any Tom, Dick or Harry for bodies, and you can imagine what lovely messy jobs we shall get from some of them, if we let them loose on the job. Unless the body for the subframe is built intelligently, there will be a considerable increase in weight. We are just starting off a car for a 10,000 miles test in France. It is a big Saloon body - the actual car which Mr. Hulley tried when he was here. This will give us some idea whether the subframe is going to stand up, and whether the body is going to stand up better. I would not recommend that you dive in on subframes at present. I should anticipate that you have quite enough on. We see no reason why you should not get the same widths of dash if you can arrange the subframe and scuttle to suit. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||