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 discussing the specification and programme for the B.50 model, including delays and proposed parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 111\2\ scan0307 | |
| Date | 4th March 1938 | |
| SECRET. 1044 800 also S. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Hdy.{William Hardy} c. Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} c. By/HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/R.4.3.38. B.50 Specification & Programme. We have spoken on the telphone to you, and made various decisions regarding the specification of the B.50 which we are about to build, but we are not sure that the conclusions reached were really the result of sufficient consideration by the Experimental Dept. Referring to your note Hy{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer}10/G.13.1.38. in which we promised to have a B.50 on the road by April 1938 made of B.III pieces, it is quite evident that we shall not keep this promise. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} states that the body will be ready by the 6th May, which means that the earliest we can possibly have a car on the road is the end of May. On the other hand, this car will have a much more up-to-date specification than the one promised in April, and this will more than justify the delay in the elimination of scrap. We believe that it should be possible to have on the complete car by the end of May the following items; mentioned in your memo as likely to be ready by August:- (a) New gearbox. (b) Pressed Steel Dashboard. (c) Bonnet with raised sides. (d) Altered frontal appearance. The item which is a doubtful starter is the semi-floating rear axle. In spite of the fact that we recently agreed it would be as well to go for this, on mature consideration we believe it may delay the car. It will certainly mean a lot of overtime, etc., and it will not be possible to test it adequately when it has got on the car because there will be many other features in which we are equally interested. We, therefore, suggest that this first B.50 should be built up with exactly the same rear axle and hubs as intended for the second B.III, and fitted with wire wheels which will enable the wide drums to be used on the front. | ||