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 hiring of a driver, issues with the Wraith model's suspension and noise, and development costs for a new cylinder block.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 174\2\ img078 | |
| Date | 2nd April 1937 | |
| VIA "EUROPA". To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls}10/R.2.4.37. Dear Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, Many thanks for your letter and various memos with which we have dealt. With regard to Jack Mead, we have cabled you that Sales have a man called Webb available - both Hanbury and Lp.{Mr Lappin} say he is an excellent driver, and was 20 years with Lord Riddell. His charge will be £1 per day, plus expenses, which Hanbury says is the usual amount. I do not think there is very much news except that we have to go ahead with the existing Wraith Suspension; for the time being all others have to be forgotten. We have been trying to make the Wraith car quiet. To do this we have had to go to extraordinary measures even to the extent of mounting the steering on rubber to prevent noise being conducted into the passengers' compartment. We have also had to use twice as much noise-insulation as is standard on the 25. On Tuesday we are having a Grand Conference to decide whether such a motor-car is saleable to the public. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} may put forward a suggestion to revert to the J.III frame. It is also very likely that we shall not be allowed to start Wraith off with the present cylinder block. The cost of scrap involved in making this in the Works is enormous, sometimes reaching £250 per week. Everybody is now thinking about wet liners, or of some way of eliminating the studs which pass right through the cylinder block. I do not suppose anything will be settled before you get back. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} | ||