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).
Internal memorandum discussing an order of 200 left-hand drive chassis for the American market, including wheelbase specifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\3\ Scan033 | |
| Date | 15th February 1929 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X7772 To Wop. from Scr. Copy to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}Ha.Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}15/E15.2.29 "SS{S. Smith}" Left-handed Chassis for America. Referring to my memo. to R, copy to you, Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}5/E24.1.29, and R1/M26.1.29, I immediately wrote to Mr.Fuller on this subject, pointing out that, as we believed that they would prefer the shorter wheel base for the American chassis than the English, we had put the facts of the case in regard to their Phantoms before R.{Sir Henry Royce} etc. etc. and that as the result R.{Sir Henry Royce} had decided that we should make the American chassis 144". I have now received a cable from Mr.Fuller reading as follows: WE WANT TWO HUNDRED LEFTHANDED CHASSIS ONE HUNDRED FIFTY INCH WHEELBASE BECAUSE OF HIGH PRICE WE MUST CHARGE AFTER PAYING DUTY WRITING. So far as the wheel base is concerned, I do not think that we need fear R.{Sir Henry Royce} having any objection to 150" because it is the same as the English one, and I believe it is quite definite that he would have preferred the American one to be that wheel base, and it was only because we put up to him the present disparity in wheel bases between English and American Phantoms that caused him to decide on the 144". I have, however, written him as per the attached copy. Dealing with the other part of Mr.Fuller's telegram, I am sure you will be delighted to see that it is beginning to look fairly definite that they are going to want 200 left-handed chassis from us, and if we succeed in securing such a contract with them, I believe it will be of very substantial benefit to the finances of the Company as a whole. I shall await Mr.Fuller's letter with interest, and will communicate further with you as soon as I receive it. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Enc. Copy of Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}16/E15.2.29 | ||