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 effects of fitting two rear spare wheels to the Phantom II, discussing appearance, space, steering, and ride quality.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\7\ Scan046 | |
| Date | 3rd December 1929 | |
| 7810 HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} } LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} } FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} } R1/M3.12.29. X.7810. X.7840. Copy to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Copy to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} C. PHANTOM 2. - SPARE WHEELS, AND RIDING. I think that in future we ought never to fit 2 wheels at the back, both behind the tube. We were just up to the limit with 2 wheels at the back when one is inside the cross tube, because of - (1) Appearance. (2) Room occupied. (3) I fear the effect of the weight so far behind the axle on the steering, and skidding. This latter item, being the most important should be tested by HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, and if I am unnecessarily alarmed I shall be only too pleased to partly withdraw my objections, and if I am not I think weshould suggest altering the Prince of Wales' car at our expense, to one wheel at the side. Naturally for easy riding we know that the weight at the back is really necessary, because it acts in several ways beneficially, being weight in an ideal position to counteract unfavourable loading when following the ordinary construction, and it is always there, having considerable influence on a car with less than the full number of passengers - .i.e. making a 7 seater passable when carrying only two,(chauffeur and 1 passenger), and it is the only way we know to get good riding when so loaded, and these conditions are so very often met with. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||