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).
Secret internal memorandum discussing the development, naming, and availability of new 'Alpine Phantom' and EAC.10 chassis models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\1\ scan0193 | |
| Date | 20th December 1927 | |
| SECRET. To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from BJ. Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Copy to C. Copy to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Handwritten: X9770 Experimental Chassis Work. BJ18/E20.12.27 I agree that you should proceed with three complete Sports Phantom chassis and two dummy chassis as mentioned in Hsl/LG16.12.27. Please arrange with Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} for one of these chassis to be available for the Prince of Wales's visit to Derby, and let him know when it will be ready so that arrangements can be made for the body to be fitted in ample time. It is presumed that the parts of the dummy chassis can be used later for building up production cars. With regard to EAC.10 chassis, it is agreed that this shall be put in hand. When you mention that the new engine and gear box will at least double the cost, will these be more expensive than the standard present engine and gear box when they are put into production? Can you please send a specification for officials in London to consider so far as it is designed at present, as it is most important that they should have an opportunity of considering it from a customer's point of view to enable them to give any suggestions or assistance from their special knowledge of these points. It must be remembered specially that it is extremely important that the EAC.10 shall be kept even more private and secret than the original EAC before its introduction. Please let me know how you intend to maintain this secrecy. We have decided to call this Sports model in future the Alpine Phantom, as we are confident that, if the word 'sports' chassis is used to the public, it will mislead them into expecting something equivalent to the Sports chassis produced by other manufacturers, namely, a special kind of racing model, whereas our policy is only to produce a Rolls-Royce standard car which is capable of going approximately 10 miles an hour faster than our standard touring cars for those who particularly want high speed on the French roads etc., and we shall explain to customers that owing to the comparatively small light body and wings, this will not be so comfortable as our ordinary standard cars but will produce higher speed and has a few alterations in the chassis to assist in this. BJ. | ||