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 bodywork issues and performance of a 40/50 HP Phantom II car, 12-XJ.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\3\ Scan117 | |
| Date | 21th June 1930 | |
| Mr. Northey. Copy to Mr. Cowen HO7/EBN21.6.30 40/50 H.P. PHANTOM II CAR 12-XJ (OVERSEAS PROPAGANDA) (1) As desired, at Barlow Garage yesterday, with you and Mr. Evernden, I saw this car with Thrupp & Maberly 4-seater Sedanca de Ville body on long chassis with "E" column and dropped type subframe. The body was ordered by us on Oct. 26th 1929, and the car completed about Feb. 11th 1930. (2) The weight of the equipped car is about 48 cwt. 0 qrs.22 lbs. compared with average of 49 cwt. 1 qr. 11 lbs., and the bodywork (4-seater) 11 cwt. 2 qrs. 5 lbs. compared with 6-seater average 12 cwt. 1 qr. 11 lbs. The weight of subframe is included in weights of bodywork. (3) The car is considered to have run nearly 10,000 miles, about 2000 miles of which were on very bad, 3000 on bad, and 5000 on fair or good roads. (4) Even allowing for the rough roads which 12-XJ went over I consider the bodywork should have held up better. I believe the failure to be partly owing to Thrupp & Maberly construction being too weak, the use of unsuitable door hinges, and the screen and other parts insufficiently well fitted. (5) Mud slinging on to screen and body is probably partly due to the long steps which are fitted instead of whole length running boards. (6) The two horizontal bolts fitted near aftermost subframe support brackets should not have projected at all and they have damaged the brake drum covers. Presumably these bolts were fitted by Thrupp & Maberly. (7) The car has had to be trans-shipped on several occasions by being slung as best it could without it being on a tray. (8) The body is not a long one, but at the rear is a trunk which carried a heavy load of spares, and behind this are two spare wheels, all of which forms a considerable weight. (9) I am of opinion that a Barker or Hooper body would have done better. Car 34-WR (South African Trials) with Limousine de Ville body by Thrupp & Maberly also failed. Cars 3-WJ (R-R Trials) with open body by Barker, and 62-WJ (Salamanca) with Saloon Landaulet by Hooper, both on dropped type subframes, have also proved unsatisfactory in bodywork. (10) I attach a list of bodywork items. Att: H.O. K.O. | ||