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).
Coachbuilding techniques and materials, with observations on firms such as Binder and Kellner.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\1\ scan0023 | |
| Date | 3rd July 1934 guessed | |
| - 3 - contd. wood and their woodwork are excellent, although a little on the heavy side. Their wings and steps are of sheet steel, 1 m/m thick and most of the body is panelled in steel. Sheet steel is received from the Makers with a pearl finish coated in non-drying oil. Immediately on receipt of the steel it is cleansed of the oil very thoroughly and given a coat of a special Duco enamel, which takes 24 hours to dry. This enamel is very elastic and cannot be removed by hammering or scraping except with a file. The wings and panels are beaten from this sheet and in the end the paint is still on. Because of the ease with which steel can be acetylene welded or electrically welded, difficult shapes are made up in small pieces. The welded joints, after cleaning, are immediately coated with rust-preventing Duco. "Silent-bloc" fixings are used for the base of all the pillars, so that the various sections of the body are partially articulated. The doors are hung on flexible hinges and "Silent-bloc" stops are used to carry the shutting edge. They say that this construction has been forced on them by experience. In connection with their sheet steel wings and panels, they use an electrical spot welding plant. They say that they also electrically spot weld aluminium by placing the two aluminium pieces which have to be welded between two pieces of sheet steel and by using a suitably reduced current density. Their seating comfort and interior and exterior finish is not so good as ours in England. They are the only people who make a full-size working drawing showing constructional details. Their great willingness to co-operate with us is a great help. Due to the reduction in the amount of Custom coachwork which is used in these days, Binder's have found a means of filling their factory by making Russian Billiard Tables. (b) KELLNER (BILLANCOURT). This historic firm have been forced by circumstances of trade to leave high class coachwork and attempt cheap production work, for which they are not experienced or equipped. They make 5 Drop Head Coupes per week on the V.8. FORD. I saw little else there. I judged their construction from the body in hand on a Bentley for M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Dubonnet - B.31-BL. The ironing is of the old Blacksmith type. The bottom-sides are re-inforced by edge plates of iron, and likewise the pillars | ||