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).
Summary report discussing cost savings and production plans for new gearboxes, comparing the B.5 and B.V. boxes to the older Wraith box.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\2\ scan0014 | |
| Date | 23th January 1939 | |
| -3- Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/R.23.1.39. SUMMARY. The Design Dept. has been accused in the past, perhaps to a certain extent justifiably, of drawing expensive pieces. We have struggled very hard on the rationalised programme to save money on the drawing board. The official figures produced by the Cost Dept. on the B.5 box show a 33⅓% reduction over the Wraith box as produced for B. Series. The impression has been created in the Engineering Dept. that, in view of the economies that have been made since it went into production, the Works would rather stick to the Wraith box than change over to the new design. The cost figures, however, suggest that every effort should be made to avoid perpetuating Wraith pieces. The appended figures show that even if we use the B.50 box, we shall still have a long way to go to reach the modest target once suggested, i.e., that our cost per lb. due to our refinements, should not be more than double that of our competitors. Briefly, therefore, our recommendations are as follows:- (A) That no effort should be spared to produce the tackle necessary to get the best possible gears for the B.V. box. (B) That the programme of production should be reviewed to see what is the latest possible date that the box for B.V. can be released and yet allow this chassis to be launched satisfactorily at the Motor Show. By the end of April we could almost certainly say that we ought to have had time to give the new box a fair chance. It must be remembered that until March we shall only have one up-to-date B.V. in England for all finalising tests necessary to release the chassis to the Works. Fortunately, we can use the old car, 7.B.V. for trying out the Wraith box. A B.V. box has now done 30,000 miles in France. | ||