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).
Secret memorandum detailing known faults and proposed modifications for the Wraith model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0373 | |
| Date | 15th July 1938 | |
| 1260 R also in Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s Policy File. SECRET. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/R.15.7.38. WRAITH. When we drew up the specification for production Wraith cars, we knew that the chassis was not without faults. In particular, the clutch operation was temperamental, and, of course, the wear on the timing gears was serious. There were one or two other minor points. We have been working continuously on these outstanding items since the beginning of the year, and we believe that now we have reached a point where we know how to make the Wraith car at least as good, if not better, in these two respects, than the 25/30 it replaces. We think that if we do not take advantage of this knowledge to put the production cars right, then we are failing to avail ourselves of the fact that we had more time for the Wraith than the P.III. Also, there does not appear to be much point in running Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}'s car to get advanced experience of customers' complaints if we do not make use of such information when it is obtained. The modifications we should like to make to Wraith cars are as under:- (1) Clutch linkage to GCD.798. (2) Greater flexibility in the dynamo drive to E.C.793, also increased camwheel inertia to scheme not yet produced. (3) Gearbox breather to prevent oil leakage into clutch pit GL.{G. Linnett}875. (4) 2° tilt of axle FW.1719/20. (5) Jack brackets modified to GW.2105/6. (6) Servo star springs GB.3734/5. (7) Modifications to prevent distortion of float chamber ...... In the case of the first 25 cars we do not think we have done sufficient running on (1) and (2) modifications to justify fitting them to the chassis before they go away, if the modifications can be made to the cars after the bodies have been fitted without appreciable increased cost. We should, therefore, recommend that the clutch | ||