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).
Design implications of spare wheel placement for the 'Phoenix' project.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 111\2\ scan0252 | |
| Date | 30th September 1937 | |
| Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} [strikethrough]COPY[/strikethrough] 10WH. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}2/G.30.9.37. 800 PHOENIX. Referring to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/R.28.9.37, it is fully appreciated here that the wide entrance door hinged on the centre pillar and side spare wheel are the determining factors in the Bentley wheelbase. I do not know where the statement you mention came from. It seems to us that Sales should very early in the projecting of Phoenix be asked to say whether they can sell a car which cannot have a spare wheel at the side. We do see, however, that even with 5" off the Bentley wheelbase, we can get a side spare wheel in if we take this amount off the wide entrance, i.e. from say 14" to 9" entrance. The spare wheel at the rear is a severe limitation when maximum luggage accommodation, convenience and body contour are considered. The Rover scheme might not be acceptable and controls the body shape very much. The Oldsmobile with good luggage accommodation, and a spare wheel in the boot has a very flat petrol tank, a very bulbous back, and is 6" higher than Bentley. The schemes which EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} is preparing shew these points. DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} | ||