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).
Standardization of Saloon and Coupe bodies, including revised dimensions and supplier negotiations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 178\2\ img163 | |
| Date | 23th February 1934 guessed | |
| PAGE TWO. It is understood that W. will be asked to consider the possibility of improving the P. W. scheme. 4. STANDARDISED BODIES. Following the inspection of a Park Ward drawing of a Saloon with an improved luggage container, one inch more headroom, one inch more length and 1.250 inches more width for the front passengers than the current standard body, it was decided to give Park Wards an order for a second batch of Fifty Saloons to this revised drawing. The body will incorporate a number of minor modifications, such as a second vizor, slightly wider front seats, etc. Park Wards have explained that the revised dimensions of the second batch of bodies means they will have to make up a completely new set of jigs as the original jigs cannot be altered. When they made the original jigs they anticipated further orders, so that the cost of the jigs - between £700 and £800 - would be spread over a fairly large quantity of bodies and they have not recovered their cost on the batch of bodies which have been built. Accordingly, they have suggested that we might be prepared to make a grant towards the cost of the jigs. The Sub-committee considered that Park Wards have no claim legally but agreed they probably anticipated the demand for the bodies would justify a repetition of the original order and that the modifications we have decided upon, which virtually scrap the original jigs, has upset their calculations. Consequently it was agreed to offer, as a contribution towards the cost of the new jigs, a sum of £5.0.0. per body in respect of the new batch on the understanding that the payments shall cease on completion of the new order about to be placed. So far as the Coupes are concerned, it was mentioned that Barkers have quoted as their lowest price £310.0.0. per body in lots of 25, which is £20.0.0. more than we have been paying Park Wards. But the Administration has decided that, from a policy point of view, an order must be placed with Barkers and, accordingly, they are to be asked to build a sample body to the revised dimensions of the Saloon. If this sample body is approved and Barkers agree to jig the batch, they will get an order for 25, the sample body to count as one of the 25. If for any reason they do not get the batch order, then the sample body will be purchased from them at their usual price. | ||