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).
Difficulties of exporting complete cars due to body costs, design approval, and foreign duties.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\3\ Scan215 | |
| Date | 22th November 1922 | |
| X3730 To EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} from BJ. Copies to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Re Goshawk Chassis for Abroad. With reference to EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Thn5/H14.11.22, the matter of having bodies built in London for the cars you mention had already received careful attention, as will be seen from Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s report, a copy of which is given below. B.J. C O P Y. "B.J. "Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}19/BM18.11.22. "Re 20 H.P. Chassis for Abroad. "Referring to the attached memo., EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Thn5/H14.11.22. "The writer of the memo. has apparently looked at this "matter from one point of view only, and has not taken into "consideration several important factors which tend to make "it extremely difficult to send complete cars abroad. " (1) The price of our standard bodies is very high. Open touring car listed at £1,590, which, after deducting chassis and allowance for accessories, leaves about £450 to £460 for the body. " (2) The design of English bodies is not approved abroad, and is not saleable. " (3) Duties and rates of exchange. " France. The rate of exchange makes the price of the body Fcs. 27,600. Duty and other charges would increase this amount by more than half - i.e. over Fcs.42,000 - whereas one can buy an excellent open touring body in France complete, for certainly not more than half this amount. " Switzerland. The duty on a chassis only, is Fcs.40 per 100 kilos., whereas the duty on a complete car is Fcs.90 per 100 kilos., so that by having a body, you have to pay an extra Fcs.50 per 100 kilos on the weight of the chassis. (Over) | ||