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).
Decision to cease work on the Dubonnet suspension and the ongoing challenges with independent front suspension.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\1\ scan0253 | |
| Date | 1st February 1935 | |
| To Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Wor. {Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By. {R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 1/MJ.1.2.35. 20/25 HP. FITTED WITH DUBONNET SUSPENSION. Replying to Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 7/E.31.1.35. There is no intention of carrying on further with the merits of the Dubonnet suspension. We have settled our account with Dubonnet and have closed the job down. The problem of arriving at the best compromise for the independent front wheel suspension we have still to solve. It is a very big problem, - so big that several of the american cars which adopted the independent front wheel suspension have dropped it and gone back to the conventional springing. 19-C-LV. fitted with the Dubonnet suspension is a very useful bit of test apparatus for us. In that case, we have a standard 25 HP. car which the only alteration that has been made has been to the front suspension so that for investigation work it is a valuable piece of apparatus. When we get further with the problem and have several SpectreCodename for Phantom III cars running our intention is to get rid of 19-C-LV., but at the moment it is doing valuable work. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||