Rolls-Royce Archives
         « Prev  Box Series  Next »        

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 discussing the progress, or lack thereof, on car body drawings, jigs, and manufacturing methods.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 144\2\  scan0116
Date  6th March 1941
  
-2-

you should do what they do and change the men about from time to time so as to give everyone an opportunity of contributing to the war effort, but in any case arrange that the work on the bodies is continuous.

With regard to the senior range, you will remember that Mr. Green made a long report in February last, copy of which was sent to you to study, and after that we had a meeting up here on the 4th March. I would like you again to read the notes of that meeting, which were circulated by Mr. Honeyman, reference Hn{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders}/ES.6.3.41, because it would appear that what was arranged at that meeting has not really been adhered to. For instance, B-V bodies - I am told the last time you were here you said there was 3 months' more drawing work to do on this. The report of February said that there was 3 months' drawing work for 2 men, so that after all this time since the meeting in March - 6/7 months - the position appears to be the same.

I gather that no interest has been shown in the jigs and tools since they were rescued from Motor Body Panels by Derby, although from the very start Park-Ward's interest in these ought to have been greater than Derby's.

Then in regard to Coupe, I understand that nothing has been done and no full size drawings have been made for the rationalising of the 4-light and 6-light Saloons, whereas if you had kept two draughtsmen continuously at work for the past 18 months the whole of the essential immediate drawing work in connection with the Senior Rationalised Range of bodies would have been completed. There can be no question of expense, surely, because this has never been raised.

The checking jigs recommended in Mr. Green's February report have not been completed, and the wood model of the body damaged by Motor Body Panels has not been repaired, and until the checking equipment has been produced it will not be possible to insist that Motor Panels correct the jigs they have made and which have been damaged due to shrinkage.

Our idea was that all this work should have been going on so that after the war you would have been in a position to rationalise your manufacturing methods and so be in a position to obtain substantial business, despite the trend towards mass-produced bodies.

I should be glad to hear further from you after you have reviewed the whole position.

Yours sincerely,

(A F Sidgreaves)
  
  


Copyright Sustain 2025, All Rights Reserved.    whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble
An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙