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).
Letter to Morris Motors discussing the costs of 'Bought Out' parts and concentric valve engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0334 | |
| Date | 23th May 1938 | |
| 1104 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/R.{Sir Henry Royce} 23rd May, 1938. W.R. Boyle, Esq., Morris Motors Ltd., Engines Branch, Gosford Street, C O V E N T R Y. Dear Boyle, Thank you so much for your letter of May 23rd. I am sorry to trouble you again, but in your letter you mention 'Bought Out' parts. As I do not know how much you buy out it is a little difficult to compare your assembly times with ours. Can you possibly tell me either - (a) what parts you buy out ? or (b) what percentage the 'Bought Out' parts represent of the complete engine. There is one other favour I would like to ask of you. One of my staff, i.e., Leslie, has now been given the job of making sure we are not robbed by outside suppliers. The biggest ramp we suffer from at present is crankshaft forgings, which I believe cost just about 200% more than they ought to be. On the other hand, according to your figures, we buy pistons at the right price. Naturally I have not passed on to Leslie the confidential information which your Manager was good enough to give me, but I think it would be invaluable if Leslie could contact with your Buyer and get an idea of the way in which he operates. I have little doubt that the Morris buying is more efficient than any other in England. I am very interested to hear that you are going on with your concentric valve engine, though I think you are wise to confine it to a single cylinder unit. I do not know whether you are interested in single cylinder set-ups with variable timing in case you are designing a unit, but if so, we shall be very glad to show ours to you, and give you full particulars of its construction. | ||