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).
Comparing the weight of a proposed car model against competitors like the Studebaker Champion and Vauxhall, with a discussion on target weight and material use.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 159\5\ scan0052 | |
| Date | 18th September 1940 | |
| C O P Y. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/EAG. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/DB.{Donald Bastow - Suspensions} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GB. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/ML.18.9.40. re THE WEIGHT OF THE MYTH. ------------------- Sometime ago, it was about 17.8.40, we sent you some figures which we obtained from Olley at Vauxhall's, comparing the weight of the Studebaker Champion with the estimated weight of a new Vauxhall they were producing. The figures which Olley gave for the Studebaker Champion do not match up very well with our own weight analysis, as the car he analysed come out at a total weight of 2377 lbs. and our own car is 2411 lbs., but the difference is less than 1½%. The figure for Olley's projected new car comes out at 2187 lbs. or more than 200 lbs. lighter than the Studebaker Champion. He expects to get 100 lbs. of this out of the body and frame. Some of this is, of course, due to the fact that the Studebaker body is considerably more roomy than that of the Vauxhall. We take the view that after the war we shall be entitled to use aluminium because the saving due to die-casting and increased cutting speed will more than outweigh the difference in cost between this material and cast-iron. Neither the Vauxhall nor the Studebaker use aluminium. Therefore, if we cannot get the complete car weight down to 21 cwts. with a 12 H.P. engine, we shall be very disappointed. Actually, we think our target weight should be 20 cwts. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||