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).
Secret memorandum detailing the plan and costs for a new front wheel brake scheme and experimental chassis production.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 73\2\ scan0237 | |
| Date | 1st February 1924 | |
| X.9940 WorS/MS/2/24. To DY.{F R Danby} - from Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} " C.Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} - " " " V.Roy.{Sir Henry Royce} - " " " "Scty. - " " " "Hg. - " " " "HSMITH- " " " "LP.{Mr Lappin} - " " " " Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} - " " " AEM. - " " " Others SECRET. I confirm my conversation with you yesterday, when I said that the Board had unanimously agreed to our proposal re Mr.Royce's scheme of front wheel brakes, and CJ. instructed me to go ahead with the programme outlined. You will remember we were promised the drawings from West WitteringHenry Royce's home town in two weeks from Feb.6th. and Works promised that in six weeks from Feb.6th. we would have six chassis in the hands of the Experimental Dept. for experimental 10,000 miles test, and standardisation sheet, and that Experimental Dept. would do their best to get a standardisation sheet through in ten weeks from Feb.6th. I also asked Mr.Johnson for permission to go ahead with 100 sets of material to run parallel with the experimental work. I estimated roughly whilst in London yesterday, that an approximate cost of the material might be £40. Mr.Tonge might look into this estimated material figure. 100 sets of material at £40 per set would come to £4,000. I should say that this figure of mine is on the high side. However, Mr.Johnson and the Board agreed that I could go ahead parallel with preparing the experimental chassis, to the extent of £6,000. Will you kindly proceed on these lines. I pointed out when I was in London, the splendid enthusiasm that existed in the Works to get out of our difficulties and it was indeed a great pleasure to me to be able to record such enthusiasm. Mr.Johnson instructed Mr.Cowen to see how far delivery of chassis could be delayed to customers, so that we could make the absolute minimum of complete chassis, that is to say, we would like to make chassis minus the present type gearbox and any other part which is likely to be scrapped with the introduction of the new scheme. I have got Mr.Swift to look into this question, and I hope shortly to be in a position to decide that we will not complete any more chassis from Works to Test until we can go further ahead with the scheme. | ||