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).
Cause of leg cramp when driving the Phantom III, attributing it to the driver's seat design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 92\1\ scan0198 | |
| Date | 11th November 1935 | |
| To Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Y304 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/FD.{Frank Dodd - Bodies}20/KW.11.11.35. Re Driving Position of Phantom III. Comparing the Phantom III and Bentley acceleration pedals in the attached print, it shows clearly no reason at this point for the cramp in the leg complained of when driving the Phantom III. Attached also is a print showing the complete driving positions of these two cars. In the writer's opinion the chief cause for cramp is the lack of seat support for the right leg. Phantom III 33-EX is our worst offender in this respect. The seat is 22.5" wide and 23" deep; of this, 7.5" in width to a depth of 12" is cut away to clear the hand brake and gear levers. This reduces the leg support at the most essential point. [Diagram of a seat with dimensions: top angled edge 7.5", total depth 23", cut-out depth 12", bottom width 22.5"] 35-EX, which does not have so much of the seat cut away, gives a more comfortable driving position. Apparently the driver's comfort will depend entirely on the material used and the shape of seat supplied by the coachbuilders. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/F.Dodd. | ||