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).
Test report on a Phantom II with a Barker coachbuilt body, detailing engine issues, excellent brakes, and a dangerously flexible chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\3\ scan0186 | |
| Date | 28th December 1929 guessed | |
| COPY. ROLLS-ROYCE CLOSE-COUPLED "PHANTOM II" FITTED WITH A BARKER FOUR-LIGHT COACHBUILT BODY. ----------------------------------------- ENGINE. There seems to be a serious crankshaft period at about 52 or 57 m.p.h. This is so distinctly noticeable that it can be felt by the passenger in the front seat through the floor-boards if the car is travelling fast for any lengthy period. Plug trouble is experienced or, at any rate, plug trouble was experienced on this particular car due to pre-ignition, and the car is being returned with a pronounced intermittent miss at low speeds on acceleration. BRAKES. These are without question the finest brakes the writer has ever had the experience of testing. The compensation seems to be almost perfect, and they are a distinct advance on the Hispano system which is the best the writer has hitherto tried. CHASSIS. The front portion of the chassis is distinctly too flexible and when going fast over rough roads the radiator jiggles about in the most alarming manner. On this particular car I estimate that the radiator mascot moved fully 2 inches from the centre in either direction. The result is that the car is apt to be danger- ous when cornering fast due to wheel bounce and undue flexibility in front. If it is intended in the future to produce a fast chassis, it is the writer's opinion that it will be found absolutely necessary to strengthen up the front end of the chassis, because in travelling fast the first essential is that the front half of the car must be rigid. This can usually be obtained by tightening up the shock-absorbers of the front springs much more than the back, but I consider that even if this were done on this particular car, the chassis itself would still be far too flexible. It is never necessary when preparing a car for fast touring to bother very much about the back springs. These have no bearing on the car's qualities for rapid cornering, and only need careful adjustment when the car is being used for Town work etc, and where | ||