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, production, weight, and cost of sports toolboxes and running boards.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 68\2\ scan0284 | |
| Date | 21th January 1928 | |
| FROM DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} X8580 DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}2/M21.1.28. C. to BJ. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} re. SPORTS TOOLBOX AND RUNNINGBOARD.(R3/M17128.) We are very sorry that the car which will leave in a few days to come to you will not have the modifications you suggest. In order to fulfil the programme we had to have the boxes made within a day or two of making the design. We will endeavour to have the modified schemes ready for the next car. In view of time we had to use partof our existing step-irons, and while these were being made the toolboxes had to be under way at the coachbuilders. The two had therefore to be kept separate. The coachbuilders were very pleased with the design, and Hooper's succeeded in making one in a day. All the large tools are carried in the body: it is only the small tools which are in little trays in the box on the near side: in the box on the offside will be carried cleaning leathers, cloths, and sponges. In future the design which you suggest will be more readily applicable because we shall be able to get the special step-iron pressings and supply them to the coachbuilder before he makes his toolbox. The weight of the toolbox is only 12 lbs., against the coachbuilder's normal sporting box weighing 29 lbs., and standard box weighing close on 1 cwt. The disadvantage of the long lid{A. J. Lidsey} is keeping it flat. The actual lid{A. J. Lidsey} we have used is a replica of that on the toolbox which we did for EAC.7. which is the car you have at the moment. The cost of these boxes the coachbuilders say is not more than the sporting ones they normally fit, and of course in any case they are included in the whole cost of the coachwork originally quoted to us. We will send you the improved design which you suggest as soon as possible. We should like to say that we did not intend these toolboxes drawings to be definite designs, but by way of advice to the coachbuilders as to how they could make a toolbox to suit our requirements, and within our specified weight limits. This being so we had to take into account the facilities the coach-builders had for making it rather than our own resources. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||