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).
Report discussing criticisms of car bodies, cooperation with coachbuilders, and proposals for technical improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\1\ Scan021 | |
| Date | 25th July 1934 guessed | |
| PAGE TWO. 4. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} stated the Works' criticisms are levelled not only against those cars, the bodies for which are ordered by the Company, but that he thought the general standard was low because we failed to give a lead to the Coachbuilders. 5. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} remarked that the bodies of experimental cars invariably fail to bite, whereas the bodies on cheaper, mass-produced cars do not. He said our customers expect our Standardised bodies to be above the average, and that we should stand behind them. He was of the opinion that the mechanics of the Standardised body are not good and pointed out it is useless tackling faults on individual cars without eliminating the causes. He considered co-operation with the Works in connection with the engineering side of coachwork as essential, more particularly in view of forthcoming developments in the chassis. 6. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} expressed the opinion that Coachbuilders have for so long been individualistic that it will be difficult to secure their co-operation. Improvements in the mechanics of our Standardised bodies would, however, undoubtedly be adopted by Coachbuilders for their own protection as they could not afford to lag behind. 7. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} said London would welcome the technical help of W. Officials. He pointed out that we have little control in respect of many of the bodies turned out because cars are sold and the bodies built by our Retailers who are Coachbuilders, but, now we have built for us batches of Standardised bodies we could insist upon the introduction into such bodies of technical improvements suggested by W. and that, as Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} suggested, such technical improvements would doubtless be readily adopted by the Coachbuilders for the bodies they specially build for their own customers. 8. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} suggests Coachbuilders should be provided with drawings showing recommended methods of constructing joints, etc. so that they might incorporate same, not only in our Standardised bodies but also specially built bodies. He also thought it might be possible to prepare designs of half a dozen body shells which could be tried out experimentally. It was thought that most bodies could be built up from one of these shells as the exterior appearance could be altered to suit OVER | ||