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 advantages of the 'Parallite' body design regarding luggage, passengers, safety, and performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\2\ scan0194 | |
| Date | 24th July 1934 guessed | |
| The valuable spaces for spare wheels, luggage and equipment at both sides of the engine (British Patent 32335), (including such awkward luggage as golf clubs—for which the ordinary car has no accommodation) are utilised in full in the “Parallite” body, and their utilisation improves both streamlining and weight distribution. In addition, considerably more accommodation is provided in the streamlined “tail” to which this style of body is so extremely well suited. Access to the engine and insulation of luggage from the heat is taken care of by detachable asbestos partitions. There is no comfort on tour without really adequate luggage, and for touring abroad especially the ability to carry spares, extra petrol, etc., can easily be appreciated. Passengers: On the “Parallite” body the space at the point of greatest importance to passenger comfort—immediately behind the windscreen—is enormously increased. Where before the front passenger and driver were often cramped they can now sit comfortably, however heavily clad, in real armchair seats; in fact, except on the smallest cars provision can be made, if required, for three persons in front. The rear seat, of course, gives the same additional room. The pleasure of seeing a wider horizon of scenery due to the increased visibility in these bodies, has often been commented upon. Safety: The flatter build of these bodies, which are much broader in proportion to their height than the ordinary car, as will be seen from the sketches below, together with improved weight distribution, makes them almost impossible to overturn, and fast cornering is greatly improved for the same reason. The much wider angle of unobstructed vision between the screen pillars, and the elimination of the usual “Blind spots” caused by these are features which will be readily appreciated by every motorist. By inclining his head to the right within the car the driver can see round a preceding vehicle from a position only equalled on an ordinary car by putting head and shoulders out of the window. Experiments and statistics show incontrovertibly that the serious results to occupants of a car involved in a head-on collision are mainly due to the shock of impact of the two hard, unresisting masses. Owing to the patent box girder section of the “Parallite” bodies the shock is cushioned and deadened. Performance: The better performance ratio per horse power expended of a streamlined motor-car is nowadays a recognised fact, in-so-far as speed and petrol consumption are concerned. The additional advantages of reduced wind-noise and dust-raising together with greater cleanliness, and the interesting fact that in light rain and snow the screen is kept practically clear are not, however, so readily recognised. The “Parallite” is the only motor body which approaches the problem of proper streamlining from the correct angle—other efforts in this direction usually comprising merely a sloped back panel. With the “Parallite” the front portion of the car is as wide as any other part—the true streamline principle—lamps, spare wheels and all other excrescences are built into the body, giving an entirely clean and unobstructed airflow surface. The concomitant advantage of the clean and modern appearance of such a design, together with the ease with which the car can be cleaned, can be easily appreciated. | ||