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).
The testing of cars with covered bodies and plans for building new experimental chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\4\ Scan086 | |
| Date | 1st February 1920 | |
| R.R. 235a (500 T) (S.D. 408. 28-4-17.) Bm. 2/158/13. X180 X3729 To CJs from Bn.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} Copy to H.R. Copy to E.W.H. Copy to Ck.{Mr Clark} x.180 RE TESTING CARS WITH COVERED BODIES. Bn{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}13/W11. 2. 20. With further reference to JS{Mr Johnson's Secretary}3/D9220 and Bn{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington}3/W10220, our experimental testing for the last year has been very severely handicapped by only having two out-of-date chasses for this purpose, namely 49-GB and 7-CA. x.3768. The pressure from Sales regarding the delivery of chasses has been so insistent that last Spring we started to build up our own experimental chassis and the first completed was 1-EX. This car being destined for Mr. Royce from the first, could not be fitted with a covered body. x.3743 We started on the second chassis as soon as 1-EX was out of the way, and owing to the importance of building this by a promised date, we could not undertake to fit the closed body, now lying at Barkers, which was originally obtained for this chassis. The x.3744, x.3659 third experimental car, 4-EX, is now approaching completion, but has been delayed by our efforts to fit the earthed return scheme of wiring. x.3706 It is necessary that we put in hand a long frame chassis for experimental purposes, and this when completed we intend, on your suggestion, to fit with a seven seater Landaulet. In addition to this chassis we consider it necessary that a further experimental car should be laid down in order to bring our equipment up to a footing comparable to that found necessary before the War.✓ x.3918 In addition to these cars, we think we shall have to build an American chassis, that is to say, an experimental chassis with all the American pieces which will be sent over for test. It will not have American built axles etc., but it should have such parts as radiators, magnetos, electrical equipment | ||