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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).
Minutes of a conference discussing chassis design, cost reduction, wheelbases, and the Ripplet model.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 144\4\  scan0042
Date  19th March 1940
  
SECRET.
File 1381
Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}
Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/ML.19.3.40.
MINUTES OF CONFERENCE :-
CHASSIS DESIGN.
Held on 18.3.40. at 11.30 a.m.
The agenda Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/ML.21.2.40 was considered.
PRE-WAR RATIONALISED RANGE.
RE-DESIGN OF PARTS TO REDUCE COST.
A list of parts which were being re-designed with the object of reducing cost was read out by Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} This included about thirty items; typical pieces were a front pivot and petrol tank.
It was pointed out that the new designs should really be approved by some Cost Estimating Department before they were manufactured, and it was hoped that such an organisation would be in existence shortly, but in the meantime, cheapened pieces were being designed for fitting to the Ripplet.
RE-ARRANGEMENT OF WHEEL BASES.
Drawing No: PL.139 was submitted. Briefly, the new range of chassis consisted of the following :-
3 lengths from the dashboard to the front wheels to accomodate the 8, 6 and 4 cylinder respectively.
2 lengths from the dashboard to the rear wheels (one for close-coupled bodies of the B.V. type. The other for custom built bodies with divisions of the 4 light and 6 light type.)
RIPPLET.
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN POSITION.
The Ripplet is the first 6-cyl. car to be built with the reduced dimensions - 9' 8 1/2" from the dashboards to the front wheels.
  
  


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