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).
Private memo discussing changes to springs, side levers, and sub-frames and the resulting impact on existing bodies and gearbox production.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\3\ scan0259 | |
| Date | 10th June 1925 | |
| Handwritten: X8770 GJ. - from Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} R.{Sir Henry Royce} - " " c. BJ. c. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} PRIVATE. Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}4/M10/6/25. Handwritten box: X8770 X8380 X5770 X5370 X8310 With reference to your CJ1/D4/6/25, the first question is 25% stronger springs than standard, for the 20HP car. This matter is being urgently and definitely dealt with by our Experimental Department, and stronger springs should be available shortly. Sales will be given an opportunity of testing cars with the altered springing, both for 40/50HP and 20HP, after they have been tested by Mr. Royce and he is satisfied that they are sprung in a manner satisfactory to him. The second point is to introduce improved side levers and underframe at the earliest opportunity. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} have been consulted on this point, and every possible effort is going to be made as speedily as possible to get this moving experimentally, and tested 10,000 miles. In addition it will be necessary, in our opinion, as well as 10,000 miles being run before the sub-frame is standardised, for the following one or two points to receive consideration:- (1) Bodies which have been built to suit chassis as at present, cannot be modified to suit sub-frames, so that bodies which are in stock either partly built or completed, could not be used, so that definite instructions will have to be given at some period, to the important coachbuilders who make bodies for stock, when this change is likely to take place, so that no bodies are likely to be scrapped. (2) It is considered that it will be necessary for sub-frames to be sent out to coachbuilders at the same time as the chassis prints, as it is essential for them to have the sub-frame before they can commence to build bodies. The answers to the questions in your memo are as follows:- (1) (Q). Up to what chassis have we made standard gearboxes on present big chassis? (A) We have cast all gearboxes up to the end of "V" series, i.e. 300. Of these 200 are finished machined and roughly 120 of these are in complete chassis, either on | ||