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).
Experiments to reduce noise in car bodies and uphold the brand's reputation for silence.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\3\ Scan228 | |
| Date | 8th December 1922 | |
| To LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} from BJ. -2- (d) We might then put the roof on, and ascertain that the chassis is extremely noisy, and thereby conclude that we have got specially to study the construction of the roof. (e) We might then try different kinds of roofs - roofs made of different materials, such as leather, composition; roofs with ventilators; roofs with zigzag holes in them; roofs with special forms of support, etc. etc., until we find out which kind of roof is quietest. As arranged at the Sales Conference, these experiments will be made immediately on one of the bodies we have coming through from the coachbuilders, and Sp.{Mr Spinney} will take the matter up vigourously. PN.{Mr Northey} will ascertain whether Sir Richard Paget the great authority on sounds, can undertake to advise and assist us in our experiments. Rolls-Royce cars have been noted from the earliest days for their extreme silence, and we cannot afford to sell any Rolls-Royce cars which are not extremely silent. If we have to spend money in experimenting to enable us to obtain bodies which are silent, we must do so. Our business in 20 h.p. limousines, at any rate, is at a standstill until these experiments are complete and satisfactory. We cannot afford to be contented with bodies such as other motor manufacturers may be contented with. Ours is a superlative business and our bodies must be as far in advance of other bodies as our chassis have always been in advance of other makes of chassis. Doubtless we shall be able to obtain some useful information from some of the coachbuilders, but judging by the bodies the best coachbuilders produce to-day, for the last fifteen years they have either not been trying to produce silent bodies, or they have entirely failed in their attempts. For this reason it seems necessary for us to take the matter up, and not leave it any longer with the coachbuilders, who have so abjectly failed. If they knew how to make a silent body, they would have told us how they could have produced a silent 20 h.p. limousine body, which is probably the noisiest body we have ever received from a coachbuilder. When I refer to noisy bodies I of course refer to bodies which produce, instead of reduce, the chassis noises. B.J. | ||