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).
List of technical points and issues regarding vehicle body and subframe construction.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\2January1930-September1930\ Scan216 | |
| Date | 15th July 1930 guessed | |
| (2) (3) P. 2. SUBFRAME CENTRE BEARING. We repeatedly find on mounting a body that the subframe rests on the fore and aft bearings without packing, and is quite clear of the centre bearing. Coachbuilders take out the bolt and weld metal on to the head. In some cases to avoid this the packing is removed from the rear bearing, and then although contact is obtained on the centre bearing the rear cross rail of the body fouls the petrol tank. We understand that subframes and chassis are erected so that there is contact on the centre bearing without the metal packing under the rear bearing. We would prefer the centre bearing to always be high rather than low, and this because it is always possible to increase the packing under the rear bearing. We therefore wish you to lift the centre bearing so that we shall always need packing under the rear bearing. (4) P. 2. DASHBOARD. Coachbuilders still complain that our dashboard is not square with the centre axis of the chassis frame and that it does not stand upright. We do not know whether you have adopted R's suggestion of some years ago whereby a jig is dropped over the chassis frame, and the dashboard is held against its face while its fixing bolt holes are drilled, and the dash is bolted up. We think this is the only way of making sure that the dashboards are really square with the central axis of the chassis frame. (5) P. 2. MANUFACTURE OF SUBFRAME. Coachbuilders are frequently pointing out to us that the subframes they receive are not rectangular, but are parallelograms to the extent of a variation of .500 in the two diagonals. We suggest that all subframes should be tested on a jig before delivery, and that a jig of the subframe should be dropped on to every chassis prior to its delivery, so that we could be sure that any subframe will go on to any chassis. The interchangeability of bodies is a great virtue to us especially now that we are finding a bigger sale than ever for stock bodies. (6) P. 2. EXHAUST SWAN NECK. We are dealing with the extention of this in connection with the designing of a rear apron. (7) P. 2. BODY RUNNER BRACKET IN SUBFRAME. So far we believe no subframes have come through with the subframe bracket for supporting the bottom side in the neighbourhood of the rear door pillar moved forward out of the rear wheel arch as shewn on the universal type subframe, but we believe you have instructions to do this. (8) P. 2. BONNET. In view of the difficulty of keeping the scuttle isolation gap uniform when the bodies are built and completed before mounting the bonnet carried over the dash as fitted to 25-EX. would be a great assistance, and we are therefore anxious to test and standardise this feature as soon as possible. [Handwritten notes in left margin, next to points 3 through 8: 7380] | ||