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 fitting of adjustable Hartford shock dampers on the Continental Phantom II.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\1\ Scan274 | |
| Date | 28th June 1933 | |
| To Mr. From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} C. to Sor. C. to C. C. to Ox. C. to Z. C. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} ADJUSTABLE SHOCK DAMPERS FOR CONTINENTAL PHANTOM II. With reference to PH.2/TT.27.6.33 we are whole heartedly in agreement with the view expressed by you as regards the desirability of having adjustable Hartfords on the Continental Phantom II. We do not see that any experimental work is necessary because there are so many customers cars giving satisfaction fitted with this scheme. We know that our agents such as J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Barclay fit them as a matter of ordinary routine, and G.W. Hancock, who was recently in Paris, confirms that the only way they are able to satisfy customers with Phantom springing is to fit Hartford shock absorbers with telecontrol. We recommend that we do not hesitate but fit them as soon as possible. We must anticipate that the technical details of, this scheme will be criticised, but as we have failed to produce a R.R. shock absorber to give equal results we are not in a position to condemn them. As a matter of interest it is now just two years ago since we fitted up an experimental car with variable shock absorbers operated from the dashboard. After two years real intensive work on shock absorbers, and at a very considerable cost, we have now arrived at the position when we hope that the shock absorbers we have just standardised and are just being fitted to production cars will give equal satisfaction to those we were fitting two years ago. We are having an intensive campaign at the moment on our various schemes of controllable dampers. We realise that something has got to be done on all models quickly. In the meantime we do not think this decision should interfere with the proposal to fit Telecontrol Hartfords in place of standard Hartfords on the Continental car. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||