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).
Suspension tests on a Phantom Demonstration Landaulet with a Hooper body.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67a\1\ scan0196 | |
| Date | 10th May 1926 | |
| X8410 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} PN{Mr Northey}1/DN10.5.26. TO JCR FROM PN{Mr Northey} c.c. to BJ, BY, Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, JP & OWB [STAMP: RECEIVED] Springing of Phantom Demonstration Landaulet - No. 22-MC. Hooper Body. This is one of our two Phantom Landaulets which are being used in London as Demonstration cars. This car has a body made by Hooper and the complete car has never given as much satisfaction in respect of springing as has the other car having the Barker body. We have made tests with all sorts of settings of the shock-absorbers and also without these being connected at all. Undoubtedly the last condition provided the least amount of discomfort with these springs so far as the chief complaint is concerned, which is that pot-holes at speeds about 23 m.p.h are severely felt and the back of the seats gives the impression of hitting the passengers, the car tending to "buck". One's first idea might be that the springs of this car are too strong, but as a matter of fact, my information is that these springs are less strong for the load being carried than is the case with the more satisfactory car referred to above. Arising out of the consideration of the influence which the centre of gravity may have on the Company's car, I arranged with OWB to make a test which brought the sense [handwritten in margin: centre] of gravity about 6" further back by placing on the luggage grid a weight equivalent to that of the two spare wheels complete, which are normally carried at the two sides of the front of the car, and leaving the two spare wheels off altogether. We took the car over suitable roads for such a test and undoubtedly our impression was that the comfort of the passengers in the car was very materially improved - in fact - we felt that there was not much to choose between the comfort from the point of view of springing of this car and the other Trials Landaulet having the Barker body. contd. | ||