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).
Road test results for the Spectre car in Europe, particularly mountain passes, and outlining future testing plans.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\4\ scan0150 | |
| Date | 29th July 1935 | |
| J300a 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 Gx. SPECTRECodename for Phantom III. Replying to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}12/E.24.7.35. It will be at least three weeks before the next SpectreCodename for Phantom III car is sent to France. When we took the SpectreCodename for Phantom III to Austria, Italy, etc., we went up numerous passes and although we failed to get to the top of the Stelvio because of the snow we obtained sufficient information for us to be able to anticipate what difficulties would occur. Since then GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} has been able to reproduce the troubles at Chateauroux. There is no need to send a SpectreCodename for Phantom III to the mountains to confirm the faults which we already know. The next time we send a SpectreCodename for Phantom III there we want it for the purpose of confirming that the modifications which we have been made, have made it satisfactory. We get infinitely more information from running the car at Chateauroux than any other form of road tests. We know quite well the worst that can happen on mountain passes, (1) is the failure of the petrol system, (2) water boiling. We have so many other problems with the SpectreCodename for Phantom III car that we think it would be unwise to lay down a particular programme for the next car to go to France until a later date. It may be much more convenient for us to send the present car that is in France after it has completed 20,000 miles and before it returns to England over some of the passes. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||