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 internal memorandum outlining a war-time programme for car work and model completion.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\2\ scan0257 | |
| Date | 25th October 1939 | |
| also copy to Re. Policy + 1260 SECRET. TO SS.{S. Smith} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. to HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/JH.25.10.39. WAR TIME PROGRAMME OF CAR WORK. At the moment no facilities are available for machining and fitting on car work. Few small parts have been finished off to enable incomplete cars to be assembled by testers, but for all practical purposes development has ceased entirely. Actually, owing to the fact that production had got under way in the factory before hostilities broke out, the difficulties of making new models out of rationalised pieces are not as insuperable as might be expected. In other words, provided we can utilise the components off two or three of the partially completed chassis now stored, it is necessary to make experimentally only about 10% of parts to produce a new model. We have been asked if we can put a 3½ litre rationalised engine in a B.30. and whether we can produce the Hipplett. The answer is that if there was available a car fitting section of half a dozen men with the necessary facilities (which should include space to lay parts out for inspection) we could during the next twelve months carry out the following programme - (A) COMPLETION OF RATIONALISED PROGRAMME. (1) Fit a 3½ litre high power engine in a B.30. (2) Complete a left handed car with either a 6 or 8 cyl. engine. The scheme drawings for this car are practically finished and require only detailing. The body is made at Park Ward's. We consider that the best market for expensive motor cars after the war will be U.S.A. (3) Complete a Hipplett with a 3½ litre high power engine. This is the car that gives us the effect of bringing the front wheels back 7½". The body is almost completed at Park Ward's. Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} | ||