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).
Minutes from a Works Committee Conference discussing cost comparisons between engines and car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\6\ Scan208 | |
| Date | 29th October 1920 | |
| 29.10.20. WORKS COMMITTEE CONFERENCE. 29TH OCTOBER 1920. Present - Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hr. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Bm. Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Mr.Maddocks. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copies to - R.{Sir Henry Royce} CJ. C. En. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hr. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Bm. Wd.{Mr Wood/Mr Whitehead} EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Mr.Maddocks. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ------------------------------------------------- (1) REFERENCE CJ/JS{Mr Johnson's Secretary}12/DL13.9.20 to Hr. from CJ. re Goshawk. Cost of same as compared with the 40/50HP car. This question was discussed by the Works Committee on the 11.10.20 and Hr. was asked to get certain figures as to the comparative costs of the complete Eagle and Falcon engines, and certain units of same, which were identical in design on these two engines except for the matter of one being smaller than the other, and also to get the selling prices of all the different types of cars which we have constructed. This was in order to enable the Works Committee to see how much saving there might be in making two identical articles one of which was slightly smaller than the other. At a meeting held today 29/10/20 Hr. produced the figures which were gone into very carefully, and it would appear that there is very little saving in the making of two identical articles, one of which is very slightly less than the other. Particular cases in point were certain articles of the Eagle and Falcon engines, and it would appear from the costs of these parts that the smaller article of the two would cost about 85% of the larger one, or even perhaps in cases, more than that. Hr. got records from Mr.Cowen in London of the selling prices of our cars from the oldest pattern onwards, and it would appear that the 30HP, which was our first 6.cyl. car in those days, would have cost at the present increase of total costs and labour etc. (which the Works Committee have reckoned at 130%) a figure of about £1800 per chassis. | ||