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).
Investigation into all-steel car bodies, specifically the Budd system, for potential use on the 25HP model.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\October1930-February1931\ Scan011 | |
| Date | 10th October 1930 guessed | |
| (2) bodies fitted to the larger American cars although it is a system which is rapidly having to give place to the Budd. The Chrysler and Cadillac bodies are composite bodies. After our 1st. visit investigations were made with a view to discovering whether we could find in England or America an all-steel body which could be made to fit our 25HP. for supplying to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} for test purposes. After a visit of Mr. Leadwinka the Chief Engineer of the parent Co. in Philadelphia we were able to discover a 6 seater Pullman limousine originally built for the Rio Flying Club, which with slight modifications carried out by hand and welding up, can be made to fit our 25HP. The body is rather too high and the lines very American, but for test purposes we do not think this is of any importance. We want to buy this body and test it. Do you agree? We do not know what it will cost but we have the assurance that it will not be more than £600. including shipment from America, and most probably 2/3rds. that amount. The proposition is that we supply the Pressed Steel Co. of Cowley with a chassis, that the steel shell comes over from America, and that the Cowley firm trim, upholster, and paint the body to our instructions, we lending them as a model one of our trials cars for a day or so to enable them to see the quality of finish, trimming and upholstery that we want. The Cowley people are very keen on developing an all-steel body trade in batches of 25, 50, or 100, such as the parent Co. does in Philadelphia and they are working on designs for a Pullman limousine on our 25HP. based on our designs for 18-S-4. as designed at WW. N.sch.2969., and we are giving them every assistance and keeping them fully informed as to our requirements. The chief virtue of the Budd all-steel body is that when the shell is finished and welded up there can be no movement in the joints, therefore no creaks, groans, or rattles. In this connection we might mention that EA. has an old Oakland saloon which he has run about in France and Spain for 3 yrs. and although this car has many things it ought not to have it has no rattles and the doors shut and open just as they did when new. France has been grappling with this problem: Citroen builds its own Budd bodies of the class 1. type for the larger cars. Tentative efforts have been made on various lines: Hibbard & Darrin's cast body, which was what everybody expected it would be - a failure. However there is another effort using aluminium instead of steel for producing a body shell because aluminium can be hand worked and dies dispensed with to a large extent. This is patented by J.A. de Vizcaya and worked by Million Guiet. Such bodies are fitted to Hispano, Renault, Voisin, and also RR. MMG. has already given us some very useful data on this process and any further information that he can supply us with we shall be very grateful. We are inclined to suggest that we ought to try this process because it is a process which Barkers, Hoopers, etc, could develop, and eventually supersede their present composite construction methods. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||