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).
Development decisions for the Wraith model, covering costs, distributor/ignition components, and engine vibrations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161a\2\ scan0256 | |
| Date | 15th June 1938 | |
| - 2 - 3. (contd) it would help in the further consideration of this matter of future costs. It was felt that a bigger saving in "E" series will chassis will be possible if they are deferred until some time in 1940 as seems possible. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} made it clear that all changes in chassis design to be fully appreciated must be coupled with the costs, i.e. savings, if any, that such changes will bring about. WRAITH 1. Costs No further information was available at this meeting under this heading. 2. Distributor and Ignition Coil In view of further experience with the R-R and Delco distributor and ignition coils it was agreed that the Delco should be adopted for the first 300 cars and that if the R-R distributor and coil were eventually introduced the cost of doing so should be considered beforehand. It was proposed to change the R-R distributor and coil on Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}' car to Delco. The reasons for these decisions are that - it was agreed on the evidence available the R-R parts were not sufficiently developed to justify the inclusion at the commencement of Wraith production. 3. Engine Vibrations Development is proceeding. The results obtained so far show that the crankshaft movement in Bentley and Wraith engines appears to be identical, that is to say the roughness commences at the same speed. The Bentley, however, did not cause distributor trouble. The R-R and Delco distributors are being fitted with the flexible drive to overcome breakage. | ||