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).
Driver's seat visibility tests on various car models and steering types.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\2\ scan0283 | |
| Date | 13th April 1937 | |
| 1300 To G. {Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Copy to Dr. Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} H.I-V.D. E {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} /Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} 1/MN.13.4.37. Re Visibility from Driver's Seat. Ref:- C.7/C.2.4.37. The Experimental Department have marked out on the Skid Pan the minimum visibility diagram as proposed by the S.M.M.T. and sent to us with your C.7/C.2.4.37. They have so far been able to test only four cars:- Standard Bentley Saloon, 25/30 Enclosed Limousine - 'C' steering, Two Phantom III - Original 'E' steering, but as other cars become available their diagrams will be obtained. The diagrams show that the Bentley would pass the test in every respect, whilst we deduce from the diagram of the 'C' type steering 25/30 H.P. that there would be no difficulty with the lowest steering on this chassis. The case of the Phantom III is not quite so clear. The two cars tested had the original 'E' type steering which corresponds exactly to what is now known as the new 'F' type, and therefore represents the worst case with our new steering. From the diagram it will be seen that most of the peak, which extends beyond the maximum forward limit, is constituted by our filler cap on the radiator. This is a dummy preserved solely for appearance. We have tried its complete elimination on the first SpectreCodename for Phantom III, but the appearance was not acceptable. However, it might be possible to devise a very squat filler cap rather like the Bentley which would still maintain the Rolls-Royce characteristics. We have computed that if we limited our steering columns to the new 'E' and 'C' types only, abolishing the 'F' type, and could do something on the lines just mentioned in connection with the filler cap, we could fulfil the requirements of the S.M.M.T. proposals. With respect to the position of the peak 'E' relative to the driver's eye line 'YY', we would prefer that the dimension of 5 ft. be increased to 6ft. The Phantom III diagrams illustrate this point. In the S.M.M.T. proposals | ||