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).
Design decisions regarding wheels, cost justifications for certain features, and future manufacturing improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\4\ scan0044 | |
| Date | 8th May 1926 guessed | |
| (2) must not forget that our reputation is our chief excuse for being in business. If we damage this or cause an impression of equality with the crowd we are finished as motor chassis builders. ROAD WHEELS & TYRES. These are to be medium pressure at once. (Mr Nadin says they cannot sell a single car in USA. with ordinary high pressure tyres. There are so many reasons for these that their urgency is without question. (Full balloons are not considered much further advance, and undesirable - exactly my first impression.) Semi-balloons are considered quite OK. with our hydraulic shock dampers, but should have the improved axle for safety, and this axle is also more satisfactory in other ways, and will lead to saving in cost, to help with other parts which are unavoidably more costly (explained elsewhere.) I am definitely impressed that the more costly designs are inevitable and are necessary to justify the sale price of the chassis, and that both we and the Works will make reductions in the cost, but with the exception of one or two features nothing very great can be done in the design. Where I attempted to save while designing Sales officials thought the omissions were not permissible, i.e. Throttle governor. 3-speed gearbox. (Auto: advance is a necessity, and if the magneto is retained we think we are doing this the best way, and unique - i.e. giving Sales value for the cost.) You must have (Enclosed valve gear. (Overhead valves. (Convenient adjustment of tappets. (Loose head. (Shutters to radiator. (Auto: advance to magneto. (Locked ignition. All of these cost money, and have no equivalent on the Silver Ghost. A few parts also are definitely more costly than on the Silver Ghost, for instance, single plate clutch, oil relief valves, spring tension on fan belt,(always wrongly adjusted on Silver Ghost) also four wheel brakes were absolutely necessary,* And our own electrical installation is more costly (but more reliable and exclusive) than purchased out equipment: we give Sales the equivalent for this extra cost. WHAT HOPES FOR THE FUTURE. Slight manufacturing improvements in design, considerable saving at the works in cost of production, and thirdly probably considerable saving in the cost of the rest of the chassis when type EAC. 7. and 9. are adopted. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||