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).
Report discussing the benefits of using a subframe for car bodies, including reduced delivery times, secrecy for experimental chassis, and production efficiencies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\1\ scan0177 | |
| Date | 10th May 1926 guessed | |
| (5) Under present conditions a cabriolet cannot be advanced beyond the lower framing before the chassis arrives. With the subframe it would be possible to reduce the present delivery period from 2 1/2 months to a matter of 2 to 3 weeks after the arrival of the chassis. CHANGING BODIES AND CHASSIS. The subframe renders this very facile as the danger of damage by breaking the backs of such bodies as cabriolets and open cars no longer exists. This feature has been a great boon to our Exp. Dept. SECRECY. By means of the subframe we are able to get bodies which will fit new and strange experimental chassis without having to send chassis to the coachbuilders. We suggest that this advantage might be of use in the introduction as standard of a new model of chassis, or a new series of chassis. During that delay in chassis delivery which always accompanies a change of model, bodies could be made in readiness. We should be able to give delivery of complete cars soon after the chassis came in. Thus the subframe would be a boon to our leading coachbuilders as it would enable them to keep the production more uniform, instead of doing as they have had to do recently, be inundated with cars for 3 months, and the next 3 months be idle. MECHANICAL FAILURES ON TEST. The only mechanical failures have been on 10,000 miles trials in France. The results have been good we consider, having in view the severity of the test, and we have overcome most of our troubles. Under ordinary conditions of driving in France and England we have had no failures. OTHER PEOPLES' EXPERIENCES. The only serious attempt at the use of subframes on production has been made by the Daimler Co. They started, and under the control of Mr. Charles, produced their first and best subframe in pre-war days. This we consider to be the best of their efforts, and produced good results. There were 2 defects which became apparent in service:- (1) that the tiebars on the subframe were not big enough | ||