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).
The body and luggage grid for chassis No. 21-G-4, an Experimental Saloon.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 114\4\ scan0213 | |
| Date | 30th May 1934 | |
| Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} to O.{Mr Oldham} c. to Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} c. to Hn.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott}1/CP30.5.34. re. Chassis No. 21-G-4 - Experimental Saloon. With reference to Sgl/E.17.5.34. the replies to your queries concerning the body and luggage grid of this car are as follows :- 1. It is hardly correct to say the London Coachbuilding Department provided W. with a body for 21-G-4. What happened was the Experimental Department required a body and, as they usually do, instructed Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} to obtain it. For policy reasons it was decided by the Administration the body should be by Hoopers and as they could not specially build one in the time available Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} decided to take one of the Standardised Touring Saloons Hoopers build for us. He instructed Hoopers to modify the body to make it suitable for the experimental chassis and told them how to strengthen the body structure. 2. The body incorporates a luggage container. Whilst this is of reasonable size it was long ago appreciated that some customers might want more accommodation when touring etc., so it was decided to add an auxiliary luggage grid when required. Unfortunately, it is not possible, because of the design of the body, to make use of the grid which W. produce so we had to ask the Coachbuilder to make one up, and, in the interests of good appearance, we arranged that it could be concealed when not in use. It is appreciated W. could have made a better job than the Coachbuilder, but the demand for the special auxiliary grid is too small to justify putting in hand special tools for its production, so that its production by W. would not have been an economical project. 3. The first grid Hoopers produced was straight away condemned by us because of its weight. It had solid arms and was cumbersome and heavy. Hoopers then produced a "U" Section arm, but this was turned down by themselves as unlikely to prove satisfactory. Eventually they produced - 1 - | ||