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).
Programme and timeline for the Wraith model, including testing and preparation for the 1938 Motor Show.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 99\2\ scan0019 | |
| Date | 9th June 1937 | |
| S E C R E T. 200B 427 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}12/R.9.6.37. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} B.III PROGRAMME. We have been going over the dates of the Wraith programme. We find that we ordered the frame side members 16.6.36. It will be almost exactly 12 months from this date when the first Wraith car starts its 15,000 miles' test. While we hope the Bentley frame will not take so long to prepare as the Wraith frame, particularly if the first samples are hand made, we do think that the side member detailed drawing should be completed before the end of this month if we are to have a reasonable chance of getting a car for the 1938 Motor Show. The first Wraith went on the road 28.1.37., so that we have taken, approximately, 5 months from its initial appearance to get a car ready to bring it up to the state where it is fit to send to France. Of course, we want to improve on these dates as far as we can, but the Works will be rather in a hopeless position for supplying a car for the Motor Show if our 15,000 miles' test has not started before the middle of June next year. We feel that the moment has arrived when it is imperative we should have some dates when designs will be completed, so that we can ascertain when detailed drawings are likely to reach the Experimental Shop. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||