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).
Internal memorandum detailing potential cost reductions and simplifications for various vehicle components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\2\ scan0156 | |
| Date | 20th December 1938 guessed | |
| -2- will show a marked reduction in cost. 4. Head lamps - Twin filament head lamps to replace dipping reflectors, in conjunction with Messrs. Lucas's springs, shows a saving in cost of £2/0/6d. 5. Road Springs - Toledo woodhead rear springs, will give a reduction in cost of approximately £3. 6. Propeller shaft - By using a Hardy Spicer standard external finish, which is bound to be as reliable as our present shafts, 15/- will be saved. 7. Engine - Cast-iron engines, now in development, cover a very large number of economy features. We feel that when the work now in progress is completed, that this engine should be comparable in cost to any other first-class product. 8. Switchbox - The present switchbox costs approximately £2/14/-. This is particularly extravagant, due to the fact that two separate switches for the ignition are used. There are several experiments in hand, which will show a large saving in cost. 9. Body Mounting - Our floatex body mounting for B.V. cost £1.per set. Replacement units to PCD 1247 would save approximately 12/- per chassis. 10. Flexible fly-wheel - The taper back flexible plate for the flywheel costs 18/9d. We feel that this piece should be replaced by a taper spoked parallel plate, which would cost approximately 6/-. Components which are still too complicated. 1. Petrol tank filler - Wraith petrol tank filler costs £3/8/- The complete tank costs £8. The Buick has a filler which is supported direct from the tank, the tank being filled through a small trap door in the rear wing. The result is far less complicated. B.V. petrol tank filler has 40 pieces. 2. Gear-box - A vauxhall 25 h.p. 4 speed gear-box consists of 131 pieces, our B.V. gear box will consist of 654 pieces. We give below, a list of the number of pieces in each section :- Cont'd. {John DeLooze - Company Secretary} [Handwritten notes in margin:] £3 15/- 8/- £2/10 | ||