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).
Letter to Park Ward & Co. Ltd. about producing car bodies at a reduced cost and plans for post-war models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\2\ scan0074 | |
| Date | 30th October 1939 | |
| c. Mr. Green. 1021 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}18/MH.{M. Huckerby} 30th. October, 1939. C.W.Ward, Esq., Messrs. Park Ward & Co. Ltd., 473, High Road, WILLESDEN, LONDON, N.W.10. Dear Ward, Bodies at Reduced Cost. We have handed you a picture of a completely new car which we expect to produce at a very low figure after the War. However, this is a departure from our present practice in so many ways that we expect it will take some time to get into production. In order to enable us to get into production rapidly with an intermediate price of car we have been scheming a vehicle which takes the present standard B.V. body and uses our present chassis and B.V. pieces lightened and is fitted with a 2-litre engine. We have got to do what we can to get the weight down on this car and, therefore, if we use the B.V. body it will have to be a light gauge construction as on 12.B.V. though we shall not be able to afford aluminium panels. Clearly we should expect to make the first 500 Bentley V.{VIENNA} bodies before we change over to anything different but as soon as we get tooled up for the lighter body we should use it on B.V's and Ripples, i.e. the shell would be inter-changeable with one or two minor modifications such as square cornered boots, but the trimming and upholstery etc. would be less extravagant on the 2-litre model. We should expect to sell 3000 of these bodies a year, 2500 2 litres and 500 Ripples and Bentley V's. which gives 60 bodies a week. The tool cost can be spread over 6000 bodies or 2 years' output. We shall not get this number of small cars if they sell for more than £600. | ||