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).
Querying the specifications and interchangeability of the 'Corniche' chassis and body with standard B.V. models under the rationalised programme.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\2\ scan0123 | |
| Date | 14th March 1940 | |
| S/W. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} re- B V.{VIENNA} 400 Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}9/KW14.3.40. Thanks for Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/ML11.3.40. Unfortunately, this does not entirely clear up the point which C. has asked me to investigate for him, for, whilst you tell us that the "Corniche" chassis frame is of thinner gauge material, that in itself presumably does not account for the fact that JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} reports the frame as being approximately 1 1/2" lower. The fact that it is of thinner gauge material would not, we presume, prevent the fitting of a standard B V.{VIENNA} body to a "Corniche" chassis if we wanted to do so, nor would it presumably prevent a body being taken off a "Corniche" chassis and fitted to a standard B V.{VIENNA} Would you please confirm that such moves would, or would not, be possible. Was it always intended that, whereas the "Corniche" was presumably part of the rationalised programme as set out on blue print PD.392, the frame was not the same as the other models having 10'4" wheelbase ? Would you also please tell us whether it was proposed, in the event of the rationalised programme becoming standard, that a rear axle of the semi-floating type was to be standard on all B V's including the "Corniche", or whether there would always remain that difference between the two. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} Rubb | ||