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).
Letter from C.J. to R. discussing the decline in Goshawk sales due to body weight and size restrictions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 181\M12\ img002 | |
| Date | 28th November 1923 | |
| COPY. 1 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from CJ. re Goshawk. CJ11/E28/11/23 My dear R.{Sir Henry Royce}, We have been making very careful enquiry into the possible reasons for the falling off in Goshawk Sales. They are still very small. Everyone seems to think that we have the coachbuilders against us because of the limits which we impose as to weight and size of bodies. The enclosed landaulet is now very popular. This type of body sold in large numbers at Olympia. A covered body in which the people on the driver's seat and the people on the back seat are under cover does not satisfy the demand. There must be a glass partition between the front seats and the back part of the car. What we are asked for both by the coachbuilders and by the public is permission to have a maximum weight of body of 10 1/2 cwt. instead of 9 cwt and the alteration of the bracket at the back so as to give 2 more inches for the body. People will insist upon having 2 small emergency seats. Necessarily these are so uncomfortable that they could not be used for touring purposes but they are of great convenience for theatre and station work. You said yesterday that we must not put any more weight on the Goshawk chassis. If you adhere to this decision, then we have to face the fact that our sales of Goshawks must be very restricted and will not be the same aid to the establishment charges and the profits of the business as we had anticipated. Will you kindly let me have your views? Yours ever, C.J. | ||