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).
Responsibilities of coachbuilders and the building of experimental car bodies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0144 | |
| Date | 28th January 1935 | |
| -2- It is also suggested that when the car has done 700 to 1,000 miles, and the body has settled down on the chassis, Park Wards men should again be called in to tighten down the various parts which loosen in use, adjust the doors, etc., as is done with customers' cars. We feel you never have had this sort of thing done, but we believe it is the only way you will get the best results from the coachwork. With regard to the question of responsibility, it must be very clear that when R.R. specify the details and instruct the Coachbuilder what to do and how to do it, undoubtedly the responsibility for that body remains with R.R. The Coachbuilder is merely carrying out our instructions. Body No. 3. This is only partly built, but we shall not be able to evade our share of responsibility, inasmuch as the Coachbuilders have been building to blue prints of body construction supplied by W. We certainly think that the Coachbuilders should be given an opportunity of building and mounting SpectreCodename for Phantom III bodies similar to those we have already put in hand, entirely to their own design, namely the Limousines and Saloons, so that they may embody anything they have learned from the Cadillac and their own experience. You will then be able to try them out against those R.R. have been responsible for. We should like three of the leading Coachbuilders to make one each of these particular bodies, viz; Park Wards, Barkers, and Hoopers. All the foregoing, of course, deals with experimental bodies which for some years past W. have controlled the production of; so that in future bodies which you control you will be able to embody some lessons that you may possibly have learned from your own experimental bodies and the Cadillac body. I mention this because at the end of your third paragraph you say you would not be able to embody results because you have no control over coachwork. As it is clear that the Coachbuilders do actually build experimental bodies entirely to your instructions, you really have the control and can embody what you consider right. C. | ||