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).
Observations and suggestions for improvements on a car model, covering interior, exterior, and mechanical aspects.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 117\3\ scan0011 | |
| Date | 13th May 1940 | |
| - 4 - Cxl/KW13.5.40. possible at all points along the sides, and that if inches, or half inches, could be gained by a modification of the lining of the boot this should be done. A normal sized bag of golf clubs will only lie in the boot diagonally at the moment, and it makes it practically impossible for the number of bags of clubs that may be required to go into the boot. I think we could gain something here by a little closer attention to this fact. The back seat cushion is very bad, because there is a hard ridge at the back edge of the cushion at the base of the squabbing, and this is easily noticeable and most uncomfortable. There is less room for one's feet in this car than in the previous model, and with the back cushion being rather flat it really was not comfortable in the back at all. I found that, by increasing the tilt of the back cushion by placing it on the edge of the lip in front of the base on which the cushion rests, a substantial improvement in comfort was effected, anyhow for people as tall as I am. Admitting that the entrance to the back is much easier than before, which is a great feature, we still have some way to go to make the seat as comfortable as it was before once you are in the car. It is a pity that the front floor is 2 1/2" higher than the back floor, because the step up to the front from the road is rather high, 8 1/2", whereas the step into the back is delightfully easy. If anything could be done to lower the front floor I think it would be a very great improvement. I notice that special stop hinges are fitted to the rear doors, which allow them to remain open without being held, whereas similar hinges are not fitted to the front doors and they swing to. It would be interesting to know the Coachbuilders' reason for fitting these to the back doors and not the front, as the same reason for fitting them to the back appears to exist for having them on the front. The petrol gauge of this car was sticking, so that when switching on the pointer does not move and points to empty. This remains for some time in this position, and one needs to bang the instrument panel to make it register. Any other jolt, such as a rough road or shutting a door, has the same effect. Petrol seems to escape from the rear wing filler, and makes rather a mess of the mudguard with the dust that accumulates. The sides of the bonnet seems very flimsy, and when using the sponge and leather it kinks in and out with a metallic | ||