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).
Summary of notes from conferences with various first-class coachbuilders regarding vehicle body design and materials.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\4\ Scan182 | |
| Date | 26th February 1923 | |
| V3729 26th February 1923 Copy to B.J. " " Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} " " Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " " H.C. LHB.14/EBN26.2.23 TECHNICAL COACHWORK CONFERENCE For your information I am forwarding extracts of Notes made at recent Conferences with various first-class Coachbuilders' Technical Staff - the names of the Coachbuilders being omitted. (1) A coachbuilder said he did not advise leather roofs as standard, and considered it is not certain that a satisfactory type of leather roof has been obtained. (2) Another coachbuilder considered the roof is not entirely to blame for "drumming." (3) A coachbuilder stated that one firm with which he is connected use the R-R long body bolts and like them, and have used felt between the body and the top of the chassis - but this latter practice was not carried out at an another coachbuilding firm with which he was connected. (4) It was suggested that a certain coachbuilder's bodies were considered to rattle more than other coachbuilders' bodies, especially in regard to the front doors, and it was thought it might be due to the use of felt material between the body and the top of the chassis. (5) A coachbuilder considered the 20 h.p. is rather narrow in regard to the main seat. Another 1 1/2" greater width would be an advantage and would give a more comfortable seat. (6) Another coachbuilder advised not adopting leather roofs as standard yet. (7) A coachbuilder said that they use the R-R special long body bolts, and find them very satisfactory, though they had, previously, trouble with the distance pieces for these, and they thought the head was rather small. He also said that they used to fit felt between the body and the chassis frame, but considered that felt was not thick enough, nor good enough, and they now fit 3/8" rubber on the frame of the 40/50, and on the brackets of the 20h.p. He was not sure that rubber was actually the right material to use. (8) A suggestion was made that the 40/50 step brackets should be 1 1/2" higher off the ground, but a coachbuilder did not recommend that this was made standard - though it was an advantage in getting a greater depth for the tool tray | ||