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).
Requirement for car bodies for 10,000-mile tests on 20HP and 40/50 chassis.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\October1927-December1927\ Scan128 | |
| Date | 3rd December 1927 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} ORIGINAL DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}2/M3.12.27. X8830 Y5380 Y5830 X8380 re. BODIES. Thank you for your HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/LG11227. We note you require a body for a 10,000 mile test on the 20HP., and 40/50. The latter appears to be the most urgent, and since this chassis is to have a new, and possibly more powerful, engine, it would be advisable if we bought a saloon and mounted it in the standard fashion. It has occurred to us that by the use of subframe mounting on experimental cars we may be obtaining a false impression of the engines, gearboxes, etc, that we are testing. It is now an established fact we believe, that the subframe will permit of a rougher engine without it being appreciated by those riding in the car. We will take up the matter with R.{Sir Henry Royce} and Sales at a suitable opportunity. With reference to the 20HP, since this chassis will be the first that has the frame 'X' member, we think that a body which would demonstrate the increased rigidity of the chassis frame would be advisable. If we fit a Weymann body we shall not know how much we have improved the torsional rigidity. The only advantage that Weymann appears to have over other light methods of body construction is in the deadness. On the question of weight both the 'Barkerlite' and the Park Ward saloon can beat the Weymann. A Park Ward saloon would make a very good body for the next 20HP., and here again because we anticipate a higher compression engine, it would possibly be as well to give up the subframe on this test. We are sorry to lose the subframe, but if there is no hope of our ever using it on production, we run the grave danger in using it for experimental tests. RECEIVED DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||