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).
Proposed improvements for a new car model and sourcing bodies for prototypes.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\S\2April1928-June1928\ Scan133 | |
| Date | 18th June 1928 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} } FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} } (crossed out) DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} } (crossed out) ORIGINAL SECRET. C. to BJ. WCR. (crossed out) C. SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} (crossed out) INDIA 3. X5770 (crossed out) X5870 (crossed out) X4663 I am anxious to get this forward, and it is possible to have 1 or 2 complete (unfinished) before the summer holiday - end of July - if we could get bodies for them. Any type of body that will form a useful model to offer buyers: (A) Might be the 6 seater with D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} steering. (B) The Coupe Cabriolet for 4. (All-weather chummy body for R.{Sir Henry Royce}) (C) Any other type desired by Sales. The chief advantages of these improvements are:- (1) To lower the car floor and abandon B. steering, and this lowers the roof relative to the floor; improved appearance. (2) Centralised oiling. (3) Rubber engine mounting - less engine vibrations. (4) Turbulent head; this would be fitted to complete chassis about the end of August. There are many smaller points included that require experience etc before we can say they are desirable, and the holidays will be a good time for HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and myself to obtain such experience, and it will get the work along by making a definite time to get the car on the road. They are: (5) Smaller wheels (tyres) - lower car. (6) Shorter hubs - traffic and lightness. (7) 'X' in frame - stiffness. (8) Alteration to petrol tank and rear end - road clearance. (9) Alteration to radiator and bonnet - appearance. (10) Lighter flywheel. In the centralised oiling there should be everything that requires weekly or monthly attention (according to use). Outside this there would be 10,000 mile oiling (3 months or one year) according to use, that is, looked upon as garage, pit, or overall job, with a grease gun,(such as universal joints, and similar oil retaining parts. This is an urgent and important job, but should not need my personal time. We are looking to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} to get us the chassis and sub-frames for the bodies, and DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} and London to get us some bodies Mr. Nutt of Barker's would I am sure oblige us, and it is important for them as sales should come to the makers of the model. R.{Sir Henry Royce} HR (signature) | ||