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 challenges of coachbuilding for a new model, including issues with secrecy and experimental bodies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\4\ Scan045 | |
| Date | 1st May 1929 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- At the outset, for the first batch of bodies, the information given must of necessity be scanty, owing to secrecy, but we hope to be able to give on the two proposed prints sufficient to avoid much trouble when mounting. For some years past it has been the custom of our leading coachbuilders to lay down groups of 25 bodies for stock. They seem to have no trouble in mounting these, therefore we see no reason why there should be greater difficulty when we give them a subframe. The greatest difficulty lies in the first bodies prior to the lifting of the secrecy veil. The trouble with experimental bodies has had much of its origin in the fact that the bodies have been made from WW. drgs. which do not always agree with the chassis as made. Even in the case of the first bodies the wings, valances, and steps will not be completed until the chassis is delivered. No doubt, later on, the leading coachbuilders will standardise these features as they do on Phantom now. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||