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).
Decision to scrap or modify obsolete road springs for various car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154a\4\ scan0023 | |
| Date | 17th December 1936 | |
| 1306. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}/G.17.12.36. LES OBSOLETE ROAD SPRINGS. Referring to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/R.4.12.36. and RHC{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}/TVT.{T. V. Turner}1/ EMG.15.12.36., in the latter of which I am asked to give my views upon the position outlined in Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Les/R.4.12.36. Dealing with the points raised in the latter memo in rotation, our views on the matter are as follows:- (1). 162 Normal Type Rear Springs, 25/30, value £656. The reason for which these springs became obsolete was that Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} had occasion to ride in a certain customer's car fitted with this type of spring. His remark was that it rode like a lorry, and under no circumstances were we to fit this type of spring to any further chassis. We therefore instructed the Works and Order Office that the springs in question were scrap and asked them to get rid of same, pointing out that the top leaves were good in each case, and we should be credited with the price of the top leaves by Firths, but the balance of the material would be the usual scrap price for spring steel. Nothing has occurred in the interim so far as I am aware to modify Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s decision. If it was worth while then to face the scrap it is equally worth while at this present moment to follow the same procedure. (2). Phantom 11. Rear Springs, value £810. These springs became obsolete when Phantom 11 chassis were cancelled. Series 'A', Phantom 111, had a similar eye in a different position, with a different initial deflection. It appears to me that if it was considered sufficiently important to change to the large rolled eye type of spring on Phantom 111 'B' series so as to make it possible to make a change if the customer complained of tyre noise, that this position still obtains. If, however, we were rather precipitant in adopting the large eye type of spring with its possibility of the use of a rubber bush to cut down tyre noise, then it would be possible to make certain new parts that would enable us to use up the 79 stiffer type springs, and furthermore under a similar ruling the lower rating springs under heading (b) and (c) of Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Les/R.4.12.36. would become good stock. [Handwritten on the left] O.K. with low rating front springs. | ||