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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}
  
  


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