Suspensions and rear seating positions, comparing them with competitor vehicles like Ford and Cadillac.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 9\5\ 05-page001 | |
| Date | 18th October 1935 | |
| To SG. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} & WCR. c. to E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Hy. {Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. to C. c. to Cx. {Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} 646 Ha/Les.21/KW.18.10.35. Suspensions - Rear Seating Positions. It is rather alarming to find that the rear seat ride of the V.8 Ford is superior to that of our 25 HP. Limousines. The rear seats of the Ford are 14" further in front of the rear axle. In our Ha/Les.3/KW.31.1.35, concerning the discomfort experienced in the back seats of Ph.III over hump-backed bridges, it was estimated that by sitting in the occasional seats the discomfort was only 40% of that in the rear. The Repair Dept. in their memo. HD {Mr Hayward / Mr Huddy} /EB.11/HR.11.9.35. tell us that all their difficult suspension complaints are cars with Limousine bodies. It is very rarely that they receive a complaint with a close-coupled Saloon. A further comparison can be made with Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 's car (GLG-5) and WCR's car (GUB-5). Both these cars have similar springs, but the rear seat of the former is over a foot further forward relative to the rear axle. Our Cadillac's rear seat is 5" further in front of the rear axle than Ph.III, Ph.II, 25 HP. or Wraith Limousine bodies. All these cases emphasize the importance of keeping the rear seats as near as possible to the node of the pitching car. Unfortunately the type of customer who desires large body space with occasional seats is the very person who is sensitive to rear seating riding. Nowadays nearly all manufacturers are managing to move the rear seats forward by using forward engine mountings. With Ph.III the dashboard is 8" further forward than Ph.II, but this 8" has been cut off the length of the chassis, bringing the rear seat position relative to the rear axle the same as Ph.II. | ||
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).