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).
Development strategy for the 15-EX Sports Model, covering engine/chassis improvements and body design.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\January1928-March1928\ 138 | |
| Date | 15th March 1928 | |
| ORIGINAL DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} DY.{F R Danby}) (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) R1/M15.3.28. REC'D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} & DESPATCHED FROM WW. 19.3.28. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} to WCR. BJ. C GWB. PN.{Mr Northey} SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} SPORTS MODEL - 15-EX. [Handwritten:] X7770 X7830 [Handwritten and crossed out:] X5266 X8993 X7500 [Crossed out:] I think it is a mistake to consider this cancelled. My views are as follow: (I believe BJ. has the same) I am particularly anxious to push forward the same improvements to the engine and chassis that we have found good for the speed model, so that by when we were delivering complete Continentals our ordinary chassis would be the same, and there would be no fear of trouble with our 95% customers. My idea was not to stop or delay anything, but also not to go ahead before we were ready - i.e. in panic-y haste. Naturally we cannot do everything quickly enough: something must get delayed, and at the moment BJ. and many of us are very anxious to get the 'H' engine and EAC.10. ("SS{S. Smith}") chassis and engine forward. But as we are so nearly finishing the above it ought not to be delayed until it is a complete success. It is so nearly so, it should take very little time to clear up the few remaining body and chassis points. You will realise that I never expected any very great business in open sports cars, but they should do our general business good to counteract the impression that we are no good for high performance, and personally I should go slowly at ordering any large number of bodies of this type. We have again shewn that speed is dependent on windage, or an incorrect reading speedometer, neither of which we have supplied in the past. Moreover it appears that the usual open touring car will be entirely replaced (when one can afford it) by a speed model. This is at least the feeling that most of us have. Regarding closed speed bodies, these too I fear would have very limited sales, but again we ought to do our best to get a good model body, 4 seater, light, and with low wind resistance. Apparently the chief improvement in design is to make the support of the steering column, scuttle, dash, etc, satisfactory. I await a drawing from Wittering: you must not put anything in the way of the foot and the pedal. If you trust to making the dust cover a fixing the stay will do very little. Would something like the enclosed sketch be good? (1) | ||