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 internal memo discussing chassis production, testing challenges, and delivery schedules.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\2\ scan0170 | |
| Date | 22th October 1924 | |
| SECRET. mitted to them anything except the complete chassis in every respect which the Works propose to put into production and that Smith & Sons should then test the sample chassis and accept it or refer it back to the makers to put right certain parts of it. It is true that the representative of Smith & Sons might, as in the case of the Government, have their representatives at the factory to witness unit testing, dynamometer tests, etc. Applying this system to the EAC.II we are confronted with the situation that the Works cannot send to France for the 10,000 miles trial before Christmas or the New Year a chassis which will be in every respect similar to that which they propose to deliver to Sales in April next. It is for the Technical Dept. to decide whether the tests, which have been made of all the novelties included in EAC.II, warrant the present programme which is that no further of the present standard chassis shall be delivered to Sales after the middle of April next. It will be realised that a very serious responsibility rests upon the Technical Dept. in this matter. A gap in the continuation of output would entail very heavy losses. It is suggested that the following considerations might be examined:- (1). Has the EAC.II engine with its recent alterations been suff-iciently tested to render it practica-lly certain that it will come through xxxxxxx its 10,000 miles trial at the end of January next sufficiently well to enable the Works to proceed with its production, with a view to delivering to London chassis containing it at the rate of 9 per week from the 15th April next? The same remarks apply to:- (2). Gearbox. (3). Lengthened back axle. (4). The new frame. (5). The large variety of minor alterations, including noisy exhaust. If the Technical Dept. are not satisfied on this point, then they should immediately advise Sales that they would be wise to order more material for the standard chassis. Is sufficient use being made of the bumping rig and also the | ||