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).
Policy document discussing the cost and design considerations for a smaller model car, the 'Goshawk'.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\E\November1920\ Scan18 | |
| Date | 20th November 1920 | |
| To HR. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to CJ. " " BN{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} " " C " " HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ✔ " " HY{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} " " HX " " HMD " " WP " " EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} POLICY - SMALL CHASSIS ORIGINAL. R4/G1/11/20. X.3481 RE "GOSHAWK". With reference to the cost of the smaller model car, when it was suggested that a smaller model should be made, it was of course on the understanding that this should cost not more than 75% of the larger model. It was intended that the 20 H.P. would be about half the H.P. and half the weight of the larger car, and therefore the taxes and running expenses would be considerably reduced also. Mr. Johnson will remember that when he said the Works thought the smaller model to the same pattern would cost as much as the larger one, I said I thought the Works were mistaken, that is, providing they were made under the same conditions as regards quantity and equipment. Mr. Hives and I independently came to the conclusion that the "Falcon" would be some sort of a guide as to the relative cost of a smaller engine of the same pattern, and in this case the reduction is not very great, the Falcon being 75% in cubic dimensions of the Eagle, and appears to have cost 85% of the larger article; this is quite reasonable, especially in this case when it is remembered that it contains exactly the same parts as the larger engine, and was actually made in smaller numbers. When considering the "Goshawk" our endeavour was to get it to half the weight, its linear dimensions average about .800" of the larger model. It was of course thought that some of the parts would be simpler. For instance, there would probably only be one (Contd.) | ||