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 subframe bodies, chassis specifications, and coordination with Barkers for the 'India' project.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5\2\ 02-page011 | |
| Date | 27th August 1925 | |
| TO HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} SECRET. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1/M27.8.25. Copy to S I N D I A.{Mr Adams} re. SUBFRAME BODIES. We thank you for your HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/L.G.24625. and note that by Monday no doubt Barkers will have received the subframe for the cabriolet de ville No. G.6456. We hope that this subframe will be completed with the other sundry details as this speeds up the job considerably. We shall at once bring pressure to bear with a view to obtaining this car completed at the earliest date. The sooner we can get the chassis the better, not that Barkers really need it, but so that we can say that they have got everything they need, and therefore there is no reason for any delay. Regarding the secrecy of India we see no difficulty in sending an ordinary standard Goshawk with 54" track and central change. There will be no difficulty with the side levers as all the quadrant gear is inside the subframe, and the brake lever top will not foul this body as it is a 4 door cabriolet and therefore very wide at the front. All the chassis will therefore need will be the wider dashboard if possible fitted with a fitter. With regard to the steering column, of course what we shall have to have eventually will be the stiffened D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} column but for this chassis we might that you fit only the offside instrument board bracket to steady the column, and that the correct steering column be fitted after you have received the body. As far as we know Derby are waiting for nothing from us to enable them to complete the job. The track of the ultimate chassis to which you will fit this body will be 56" and we wonder whether the wings will be too narrow if made to suit the standard Goshawk. This could be overcome by fitting the chassis with artillery wheels which give a 56" track on the old axles, and we should then have an excuse to ask Barkers to make wider wings. Regarding GF-68, we think that a subframe should be manufactured for this, and the car as at present driven to Barkers and when they have removed the body, the chassis could come back to you for modification, or to be superceded by another whilst they are putting in the new subframe. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} will make all the necessary arrangements for these cars at the beginning of next week, vla Londo. | ||