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).
The Phantom car standardisation, the Condor engine's history, and the new SS chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\2\ scan0113 | |
| Date | 15th January 1925 guessed | |
| contd :- -4-a Phantoms and were used as Demonstration Cars. The standardisation sheet for the Phantom Car was issued on 15.6.25 and was completely signed by C.J. on the 6.7.25., by this time, of course, there was a considerable number of Phantom cars on test. (4) Condor engine. The Condor engine has an unfortunate history. It was completed at the end of the war, and afterwards all develop-ment on it was stopped for several years. It was revived as a Condor lll. but before it had completed a type test, orders were accepted for a large number of engines. We had great difficulty in getting the engine to go through the type test but we had to struggle with it because production was going on simultaneously. Although it is possible to point out individual failures of the Condor, we consider that it has done a considerable amount of real good work. At the time Condor lll. was produced we consider it was a very good engine. Question 7. In what parts will the SS.{S. Smith} (a) chassis (b) engine differ from our present standard Phantom. Broadly speaking, the SS.{S. Smith} will be a complete new chassis, but although it is a new chassis we have had considerable experience in the engine because it is very similar to the Phantom, in the gearbox because it follows the lines of the 20 HP., the rear axle, springs and prop: shaft because we have already run 35,000 miles with this arrangement on EAC.1. and 14-EX. The steering will be very similar to the present Phantom. Brakes are similar to the present Phantom. The details however of the parts are different. As an approximate guess we might say 15% of the contd:- | ||