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).
The need to encourage lower, lighter, and less wide bodies on 20HP and 40/50 cars to improve performance.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\October1927-December1927\ Scan110 | |
| Date | 28th November 1927 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} (struck through) DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} (struck through) } FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to BJ. WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} ORIGINAL R1/M28.11.27. X8830 X5830 (struck through) X8840 20HP. & 40/50 CARS BODIES HIGH, HEAVY, & WIDE. From time to time I grumble about bodies for our cars, such as are made by even the best coachbuilders, but without much result. We must encourage lower and lighter bodies or we shall be branded with bad performance - i.e. acceleration and hills. We are doing what we can at once to lower the 20HP. by smaller wheels etc, and especially effective will be cancelling the upright steering ('B'), so that at once we ought to to discourage all bodies with 'B' steering - i.e. occasional seats, etc, so that the roof can be lower. We are/making some small economies in weight by road wheels and hubs. Regarding the 40/50, by using the long chassis can we not again avoid the high seats. We have removed the packings under the road springs so that cars/of moderate weight should be lower by 1". Therefore avoid very heavy ones: we had better lose the order. Are we sure that the coachbuilders are keeping their floors, seats, and roofs, as low as possible. I do not believe they are. Members of the Coachbuilding Committee should help me to make some progress in this direction. The blue trials car lent to Col. Fell about Nov. 7. or 14. was bad for any purpose, and dreadful for Col. Fell's purpose. R.{Sir Henry Royce} RECEIVED [Circular stamp with 'Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}' and '29 NOV 1927'] | ||