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).
The challenges of adapting car designs for the American market and the need for more autonomy at the Springfield factory.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 31\3\ Scan063 | |
| Date | 9th November 1921 | |
| CJ. from HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X1449 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/LG9.11.21. X1449 CARS IN AMERICA. X3614 X430PS I do not think that America will be satisfied. R-R England has been insistent that Springfield should not carry out design or experimental work and that all designs should come from Derby. This being so, Springfield can truthfully say that they have not received a single design to help them to overcome the troubles of starting and carburation in the Winter. All they have received is all available experimental information and experimental model pieces. These pieces have not been approved designs, they have been made up in the Experimental Dept. roughly in order to prove the scheme. Since it has been agreed by everyone, that the conditions in U.S.A. are such that the English design or Derby-made car is not satisfactory, the policy of trying to control detail design from England should be abandoned. We suffer at Derby because the Design Staff is 200 miles away. We know that Springfield are in a very very much worse position being 3,000 miles away. We shall never be out of trouble with Springfield until the Chief Engineer of that Company (Mr. Royce) nominates somebody at Springfield to act for him and they shall have the power of making the necessary alterations which they consider essential to suit American conditions. The Engineering Staff on this side should criticise what is done and could refuse to agree to the modifications being made, but it should not be such that Springfield have to wait for the English Co. before they can get anything done. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||