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).
Letter to coachbuilder Park Ward & Co. Ltd. regarding the excessive weight of car boot lids.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\2\ scan0128 | |
| Date | 4th January 1940 | |
| 1021 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 8/BA. 4th January. 1940. Messrs. Park Ward & Co.Ltd. 473, High Road, Willesden, LONDON.N.W.10. Dear Mr. Ward, We have been concerned with the weight of the Boot Lids on our cars. In particular we were surprised at the weight of the lid{A. J. Lidsey} on 4.B.50, the last car which you built for us, as this is nothing but to act as a cover for the luggage compartment. In comparison with the Buick 8 Cylinder lid{A. J. Lidsey} which is almost exactly the same size and which is almost exactly half the weight and Buick's do not employ any light alloy material. We should like you to take particular care in reducing the weight of the boot lid{A. J. Lidsey} on the Riplet body which you will be presently receiving, and also we should like you to bring the boot lid{A. J. Lidsey} on 4.B.50 in line with the Buick with regard to the weight when we send the car down to you shortly to have the front wings altered. We also suggest that you carry out an experiment on 9.B.V. to see how light you can make this boot lid{A. J. Lidsey}, we will test it for durability. We are quite prepared to make a too light lid{A. J. Lidsey} and learn something from a failure. Yours faithfully, for ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||