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).
Notes on the decision-making process for a further batch of 200 20 HP chassis, including discussions on modifications and specifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M2\M2.2\ img003 | |
| Date | 12th April 1929 | |
| Notes re 20 HP Chassis. Just before Easter I was asked to authorise material for a further batch of 200 chassis. Unfortunately, however, the position in regard to the 20 HP required clarifying. You will recollect that at the time we were discussing putting the "SS{S. Smith}" into production, we were also discussing putting a longer wheel base 20 into production with several new features. The car, however, was turned down on test with the result that the Board decided that of the batch of material then in hand the last 150 should go through with certain modifications, the principal of which were central lubrication, smaller wheels and the new type petrol tank. Instructions were given to this effect, and it has only recently been possible for the Works to send a car embodying these modifications to France for its 10,000 miles' test. One of the features which was on the longer wheel base referred to above was the turbulent head designed by Mr.Royce with a view to giving increased power and, as lack of power is probably the chief and main criticism of the 20 HP car, we had hoped that it might be possible to introduce this feature on chassis at an early date, but the tests have not proceeded far enough to enable this to be possible on the 150 chassis referred to above. We were faced with having to decide what form the next batch of material should take, the alternatives being: 1. The same type as the 150 referred to above. 2. do do do do do do and with turbulent head. 3. Order the material so that it could be built up into either (1) or (2), or into the chassis with the longer wheel base, the original troubles with which might be overcome before we had to say definitely to which specification the chassis should be built. I wrote fully to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} on this subject on March 25th asking him kindly to consider and call here on the 27th on his way out to see Mr.Royce and, after conferring with him I wrote to Mr.Royce | ||