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).
Contents and cost of the chassis tool kit, specifically regarding single-ended spanners.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 179\2\ img265 | |
Date | 19th February 1932 | |
ORIGINAL To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sc. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Dn. c. to ST.{Capt. P. R. Strong} CHASSIS TOOL KIT - SINGLE ENDED SPANNERS. X.7580. X.5580. The tool kit which we have been supplying with our cars in the past, has been much more elaborate than supplied by any other make. R.H.A.I. reduced it very considerably for their needs. We have had several attempts to cut down the cost and size of the tools and spares. We attempted, at one time, to carry out your suggestion that there should be two tool kits - one to be carried on the car, and one which would be garage equipment, but would not be supplied with every car. We then had a case where we had to send a mechanic over to Ireland because a rear brake had seized and the owner had not the necessary tools to remove the rear wheel. There were other complaints, so that we found it was essential that the wheel tools must be supplied. In the case of the single or double ended spanners, we have never had a single complaint of the double ended spanners. In fact, they were greatly admired. We admit that there were cases of some big size ones which were added later, in which the proportions were bad, but those spanners have now been done away with. When we examine tool kits of cars which come in, we find that the spanners have hardly ever been used, and the one that has evidently done most of the work is the small adjustable spanner. We agree, that for shop use the single ended spanner has advantages, but for a tool kit supplied with the motorcar we are sure they are not appreciated. At the present time we are having to go minutely into the cost of all the features on the car, therefore, the tool kit has been considered with the rest, and we suggest that in this part of the equipment it is possible to make a saving without detracting from the R.R. quality. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||