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).
Costs and logistics for fitting a new cylinder head and pistons to a customer's car, chassis B-169-CW.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\1\ scan0158 | |
| Date | 19th March 1935 | |
| W/S - H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} v.161a Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}19/KW.19.3.35. Mr. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Summers' Car, Chassis B-169-CW. With reference to the cost of a new cylinder head and new pistons for this car to improve the customer's complaint of performance, the figures given by the Repair Dept. are as follows :- Labour, approx. £13.10.0d. New Cylinder head, including valves, approx. 20.15.0d. New pistons, approx. 7.10.0d. _________ £41.15.0d. _________ These figures represent approximately 25% profit on material and 15% profit on labour. Our opinion is that it would be doubtful policy to give these away because if we do it will become a very popular conversion. On the other hand, presumably you would like as a gesture to give him some allowance for his standard cylinder head. We estimate that it will be at least 6 to 8 weeks before the works will be able to get these high compression heads through on production. In the meantime, we are putting one or two through experimentally which might be available if Mr. Summers becomes impatient. The Aerolite pistons are already in the factory. In the matter of costs, you will appreciate that these are not official, but they are certainly a good approximation. The steering we can deal with when the car is at the works. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||