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).
Advantages of steel bodies, such as weight, while also raising concerns about the significant problem of rust.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\1\ scan0057 | |
| Date | 13th November 1935 | |
| S/W... to ... c. to F -> Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Eg. Cr.{Mr Cra???ster / Mr Chichester} Hn.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} X1021 C17/C13.11.35 Re STEEL BODIES. We were very interested and pleased to read the report contained in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/MJ6.11.35 concerning the steel body on D.56.BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} after 10,000 miles in France. We were also pleased to read from a further memo. (Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/KW8.11.35) that according to your calculations this body is 3/4 cwt. lighter than the ordinary standard Saloon, but as this is based on a good deal of calculation we shall be very pleasantly surprised if this is realised on production. We also note you find it a herculean task to get 3/4 cwt. off the chassis, and we should be interested to hear at some time the reasons, more particularly as the large 8 cylinder Packard with roomy body which we recently sent you, weighs no more than an average Bentley car, although naturally we are not comparing its merits with the Bentley in many other respects. It appears, therefore, that for bodies ordered in quantities the steel body has many advantages. There is, however, one very important question that we are still doubtful about, namely the question of rust. Park Ward recently stated that they think we are unduly alarmed about the effect of rust, although they themselves have hitherto expressed a doubt in this respect. This doubt was evidently shared by "W" as in E5/HP17.8.35 re aluminium coachwork construction, the following comment is made:- "It should also result in a lighter body at the same time free from the rusting which is the curse of steel bodies, and its over-all rigidity although necessarily about half that of a steel body may still be sufficient for our requirements." Since the above was written we have received Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}5/KW11.11.35. re rust and steel wings. This may cover mileage and durability, but it does not cover age as we have to calculate it. It therefore seems to us that we must ask the Works to advise us upon this question of rust, as it is a purely technical matter. We suggest that you might send one of your Chemists to Park Wards to discuss the matter with them | ||