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).
Responding to three queries regarding subframe and body fitting on chassis 22-WJ.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 14\8\ Scan208 | |
| Date | 22th January 1930 | |
| Ps. From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL. X7380 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL.2/MJ.22.1.30. Re. CHASSIS 22-WJ.- C.B. Fairfax Esq. Replying to Ps2/RJ.18.1.30. In reply to the three queries you raise relating to subframes:- (1) The body should certainly not be fitted out of square to the extent of 3/8". Adjustable washers are provided in the centre support to take up small differences due to dimension limits; we have recently emphasised the point that the clearance between theside subframe members and the chassis frame at the rear should be equalised in order to give the required brake drum clearances. (2) It is wrong to raise the subframe if the body is built correctly on the subframe. In this particular case however, where time was limited there was no other method. The correct procedure, given time, is to cut the body away. This should be the coachbuilders job. If the body is built to our coachbuilders print no part of the body can rest on the Chassis. The objection to raising the body is that it defeats one of the objects of the subframe viz: to procure a low body. (3) We do not agree that you should be instructed not to interfere with subframe mountings when you know them to be wrong and not in accordance with our drawings and instructions. Theoretically, altering the mounting as you have done should have no effect on doors. The subframe is the base upon which the body is built, and not the chassis. Within reasonable limits the subframe should control body distortion and does do so, this again is one of the objects of the subframe, to insulate the body from frame distortions. This chassis is evidently one of the earliest to be delivered and we may expect at first that the coachbuilders will not turn out an absolutely correct job, even though they have minute instructions on the prints we supply them with.. It should be the duty of our people who test the cars after the body has been fitted, to watch these points. Under the circumstances, we should say that the procedure you adopted was the only possible one. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/AJL. | ||