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).
Defects found in a car's coachwork, wings, and luggage boot after a 10,000-mile test in France, with suggested improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\3\ scan0004 | |
| Date | 3rd June 1936 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/HFH.{Hoppy F. Hamilton}7/KW.3.6.36. B-56-BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} This car has completed 10,000 miles in France and has been carefully inspected for defects in the coachwork, wings and wing mountings. The body as a whole was found to be in a poor condition, and it is obvious that many of the faults could have been eliminated by the coachbuilders during the construction. The most important faults are set down below, together with suggestions for improvements to be submitted to Messrs. Park Ward Ltd. in due course. WINGS. These have given considerable trouble, due to insecure mountings. This takes the form of wood blocks between the running board and stays, the whole being held in position by wood screws top and bottom. These wood screws soon work loose and owing to the wing movement, pull out, allowing the running board to rattle. This could have been made more secure by the use of 1/4" bolts passing through the block, with a steel plate top and bottom. The new type of dropped cross member will undoubtedly assist in holding the lamp posts and wings more rigid, and will help the wings to be held more securely as a whole. LUGGAGE BOOT. Considerable quantities of dust enter the car from behind the rear seat squab. The trouble originates in the luggage boot, where the dust blows up through the cracks between the inspection boards. The obvious cure for this is the use of American cloth strips or alternatively rubber seals, so as to make the compartment dust-proof. Dust also blows in round the compartment door, the same cure could be applied in this case. Apart from this, however, the passengers' compartment should be sealed off from the boot by a seal along the top of the rear seat squab. This would also help to obviate any smell of petrol if any should be spilled during filling. | ||