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).
Comparing the quality and performance of English versus French car coachwork, particularly under French road conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 71\1\ scan0284 | |
| Date | 29th March 1927 | |
| 78830 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to RG.{Mr Rowledge} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} DeSev Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}3/LG29.3.27. COACHWORK. 15830 Every time we run a car in France it is the body work which always stands out as the most unsatisfactory part. Now that we have excellent steering and brakes, the body work and the riding qualities are in our opinion the features which need the most attention. On the excellent roads in England, body troubles are relatively few compared with Continental roads. The body we had on the 20 HP. in France was a Barker Cabriolet de Ville which was purchased just over 12 months ago. The windscreen was poor - there were no less than eight fasteners on the windscreen, but in spite of these it was unsatisfactory. There were numerous rattles from the windows and doors and it got noticeably worse after running about 1000 miles. In Paris we examined several French bodies fitted to Phantom cars. The bodies compared favourably in appearance and finish to the best of Barkers we have seen. The price of the body is about £400 less than a Barker. We consider that as it is under French road conditions we find that the English body so rapidly deteriorates, we ought to be able to obtain useful information by examining a French bodywork. With regard to your suggestion of having a 20 HP. Coupe to carry 3 persons on the front seat; there was one in Paris in which they had obtained comfortable seating for 3 without making the car wide. When it was to be used as a 3-seater, half of the front seat was slid back sufficiently so that the middle passengers' arm was behind the driver. We tried this car and there was comfortable room for 3 people on the front seat without having to sit sideways. We agree that the usual sliding seat is a curse but this was well carried out. Paris have promised to send on photographs, weight and price of several types of bodies. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||