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 to Mr. Royce regarding production decisions for the 20 HP chassis and the new turbulent head engine.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M2\M2.1\ img042 | |
| Date | 27th March 1929 | |
| COPY. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} re 20 HP. Chassis. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}8/E27.3.29. Dear Mr. Royce, I have been asked to authorise material for a further batch of 20 HP. chassis, and if continuity of output is to be maintained from the end of the present batch, this authority ought to be given forthwith. The position, as you may recollect, is that at the Board Meeting held at the time that we decided to put the 'SS{S. Smith}' into production, it was decided as regards 20's that out of the batch of 200 'O' Series of 20's in hand, we should hold up 150 so that they could come through with central lubrication, smaller wheels and the altered petrol tank. That batch of 150 chassis ceases Works to Test on the 2nd September and this is why it is necessary for new material to be ordered forthwith. I was hoping that it would be possible for the turbulent head to be introduced on that 150 or at least on some part of it because the main thing which reacts against the sale of 20's to-day is its lack of power, and I am very sorry to hear from Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} that the turbulent head is not sufficiently far advanced to enable any of that batch to have it. We then come to what the next batch of chassis should be, and we believe that the best course is for those chassis to be made of the same type as the 150 of 'O' Series but with the turbulent head, and then the next batch after that to be the longer wheel base chassis. Sales of 20's have unfortunately during the last year or so fallen off severely, and after consulting with all our main agents, we have confirmed the view that its lack of power is the chief cause for the reduced sales. We are doubtful whether the turbulent head is going to give us sufficient extra power to overcome this disadvantage, but until we have tried a car so fitted it is difficult to form an opinion. We believe that the right thing to do is to disassociate the turbulent headed engine for the moment from the longer wheel base chassis and concentrate on the experimental work for the turbulent head in the present chassis for the next batch of material, and then, when we are ready for the longer | ||