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 delivery of an Allweather bodied car to His Grace The Duke of Sutherland, including customer feedback and a road test incident.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 96\1\ scan0047 | |
| Date | 15th September 1936 | |
| X361. see also x 306 COPY of report received from Fleck Septemebr 15th 1936.. 3.AZ.76. His Grace The Duke of Sutherland. (Allweather Bodies) I delivered the above car to the owner and his chauffeur at his residence, Dunrobin Castle, Sutherlandshire. I remained a day, going over the chassis with his two head chauffeurs and also took them on the road. I also accompanied His Grace and Capt.Willson to Dornoch and back, giving them some points in getting the best out of the car. They were both delighted with the car's performance and I think Capt.Willson is a likely buyer, the question of early delivery is the only deterrent. On my way up to Dunrobin I had to make a quick pull up to avoid a motor-cyclist. I was travelling on Leeming Lane when he appeared from behind two cars which were proceeding towards me. I found onbrake application that the speed reduced quickly and surely from 70 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h., but then the servo seem to give out entirely. Had it been a necessity to come to a full stop (such as a level crossing gate being closed suddenly), I could not have done so. His Grace complained that the leg length is cramped in front seats, but is letting this go in the hope that these will "squab down". Also the Klaxon Eural ring is a poor job, there being festoons of wire dangling around. On his other Phantom II there is a copper ring and knife blade, contact rendering a lot of the wire unnecessary. Hay Fleck. J.L.E. | ||