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).
Poor performance of the Continental P.II, trials results, and potential brake modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\1\ Scan211 | |
| Date | 8th July 1932 | |
| '87120 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Continental P.II. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}10/E8.7.32 Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} P.N. You will remember that for a year or more we have been trying to increase the performance of the Continental P.II - so far without success. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} feels that we are going backwards on this point rather than forwards. He tells me that our latest Continental Trials Car No.85-JS{Mr Johnson's Secretary} - (formerly 27-EX) - is a slower car than our old 40/50 longwheel base Pullman, 129-GN! Round about the 23rd June you made a test of 19-EX at Brooklands at which PN{Mr Northey} was present but unfortunately he has not xxxxx any figures. I should be glad if you would let me know the result of this test as we were rather relying on the modifications on 19-EX being of value in the direction of performance and maximum speed, and I am rather distressed to see in one of Hancock's reports that he is saying that the acceleration up to 40 m.p.h. is not as good as standard. What I am really anxious to know is xxxxx where we now stand on this question of improving the performance of the Continental Phantom, the performance of which is being criticized rather unpleasantly by some of our keenest owners, and on this point I enclose copy of a letter from a Mr.Kleinwort and memo. from Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} on the subject. In regard to this question of brakes, I am aware of your views as expressed in a memo, recently to C. relative to a Mr.Thomas, but one wonders whether for the Continental model we ought not to depart from our practice which, as you say, is satisfactory for a general purpose motor-car, i.e. ought we not to experiment with more braking on the front and less on the back than at present, with a view to its introduction on the Continental chassis only. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Enc. Copy of letter from Mr. Kleinwort dated 1.7.32 Copy of Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}4/KW.2.7.32 | ||