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).
Critical assessment of various European coachbuilders, detailing their construction methods and quality.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\1\ scan0024 | |
Date | 3rd July 1934 guessed | |
-4- and hellboard - all very heavey and unmechanical. The screen pillars above the waistline are solid forged steel. The coupe head gear is roughly hand forged and heavy. The panels, wings and steps are all of sheet steel 1 m/m thick, as well as the seat backs. The doors are hinged on colossal steel butts with steel pins and the stops at the shut edge are "Silent-Bloc". Their cushions are plain spring and hair, so that they are either soft and lacking in damping, or hard. Messrs. Kellner fill up the remainder of their factory by making revolving Barbers' poles and advertisement signs. Their chassis is in a filthy condition and workmen have so trampled over it that the central chassis lubrication pipes on the rear axle are damaged. Their paintwork is poor and cheap looking. The rear seat of the Phantom 2 for Rothschild is like that of a London taxi. (c) VAN VOOREN. This firm build fully articulated bodies on the "Silent-Bloc" principle - hence their construction is light. Panels are of steel and so are the wings and steps. Their bodies are cheap to suit the cheaper chassis. I suggest that their coachwork, made one class better, would be very suitable for the Bentley in particular. (d) FERNANDEZ ET DARRIN. This firm are hopeless in every way. My conclusions are based on a body for Rolls-Royce which they have in hand. The wood is cheap and badly fitted. They attach the body to the chassis at all sorts of places, including the battery crossmember. Their ironing is of the village forge variety. The bodies are very heavy. (e) FIGONI. This firm is as bad as Fernandez & Darrin, judging by a 25 H.P. Rolls-Royce which they had in hand. The body was bolted rigidly to the dash and the scuttle isolation bolts and washers thrown away. Their bodies are very heavy. | ||