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).
Secret memo discussing options for obtaining bodies for the experimental EAC.2 chassis from coachbuilders.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 71\1\ scan0048 | |
| Date | 1st September 1924 | |
| 18830 To HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} C. S E C R E T. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1/ME.9.24. RE. SECRECY OF EAC. BODIES. X.9840 X.8830 We have considered ways and means of obtaining bodies for the experimental EAC.2. chassis without actually supplying one of these chassis to the coachbuilders. (1) The first suggestion is that it would appear possible to mount a standard 40/50 engine in a complete EAC.2. chassis and this suggestion we shew on N.sch.1843 which we send heree with. In order to get the engine in we set the cross steering tube down in the centre, keeping the front springs unaltered. Since the engine is in the standard EAC.3. position, the std. 40/50 engine coupling can be used, and EAC.3. pedals. Due to a wider frame the rear engine feet brackets would need packing out from the side channels. The gearbox would be that for EAC.2. having the revised side levers, consequently when we came to fit the body to a proper EAC.2., all we should need to do would be to fit a new sloping footboard to suit the new pedals. The steering column would be 40/50+, but the wheel moved in such a way that it gave the EAC.2. driving seat position. The side steering tube would be bent in any conceivable manner to make the car work. The bonnet, radiator, and dash, would have the same angular slope on its hinges as that on EAC.2. but lengthened to suit the old engine. It will be appreciated therefore that the height of the radiator above the frame would be slightly less than EAC.2. The radiator would be a standard 40/50, with the mounting so arranged as to give the correct height of the top tank. The idea would be to build one of these chassis and send it to the coachbuilders to enable them to mount on it their body, and completely finish the job. When returned to Derby the body would be stripped and remounted on the EAC.2. chassis either by ourselves or Sanderson & Holmes. If the bonnet were left bright we could finish the car in colour and varnish, but if we must have the painted bonnet it would appear necessary to use Works Grey so that we can match the paint. The chassis would then be lent to another coachbuilder to fetch the second body, and so forth. (2) The second suggestion, which is not quite so easy from the coachbuilders point of view, is to supply a frame with wing stays and dashboard, on which the complete body, wings, valances runningboards with wheel carriers, etc. could be mounted. contd:- | ||