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).
Critiquing the Goshawk Saloon Body's flaws, such as being too heavy and bulky, and proposing a new design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\3\ Scan307 | |
| Date | 26th April 1923 | |
| X. 3730 To BJ. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} C. c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} R3/M26.4.23. GOSHAWK SALOON BODY. X.3730 This body is one of the ideal types for owner driver (lady or gentleman) who desires a closed body. Such a person is one of the enthusiasts who will pay a good price such as we demand. The 20 HP. is especially suitable for such a body to carry 4. So far it seems to be reported that we cannot get such a body which is not either a boomer, heavy, noisy, or top heavy. The specimen brought to the south of France, (Maythom) on No.7 Goshawk is top heavy - heavy and bulky, has great windage and 5 cwt. increase. Every time I drove it I got into a bad temper. It had crushed every pleasure out of our chassis and I marvelled that Mr. Hives had the heart to drive it such a long journey. It takes away every desire to own such an apparatus - perhaps clumsy is the best description of it. (Some features are wrong and ugly.) If we cannot do something entirely different to this, let us make no more Goshawks with this type of body. Three things are most glaringly unsuitable :- (1) Heavy roof. (2) Enormous and heavy doors (dangerous). (3) Window winders (weight and room required). I am informed that this is not a standard body. (heaven be praised) but all similar bodies are only a small degree better. The chassis struggled manfully to carry such a body, the engine doing extremely well on hills, but the top-heaviness could not be forgotten for a minute on these rough narrow roads. I believe the only thing we can do to the chassis is to fit shock dampers with more friction (at least twice) on the rear axle. We must realise that the 20 HP. is not the 40/50 and it was our idea to make it approach the lightness of the Ford, but RR. quality, i.e. sweetness of running, good wearing qualities and reliability. Since the ordinary coachbuilders have failed to produce a standard of this type for this chassis, and I am desirous that we can offer this type, I am proposing to help Mr. Evernden outline such a body and will start on this soon after my return to England, but we shall probably ask some of the Aeroplane people to make it and we must realise that we shall have some limitations (in doors, windows or winders). At present my ideas are that we should have one convenient door for the rear and one for the driver, and a 3 panel design, but contd:- | ||