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).
Performance modifications, weight reduction, and steering improvements for various car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\1\ Scan156 | |
| Date | 11th April 1935 | |
| -3- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}18/KW.11.4.35. Performance in view of Increased Weight. We made an effort to get some weight off 5-B-IV, particulars of which were summarised in Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/KW.2.4.35. We now require some assistance from Design Dept. Steering. We have dealt with the 20/25 steering, which is the worst, and obtained some improvement. The Marles people are producing an American Marles steering for us for the Bentley. The Phantom steering suffers very badly from road shocks and we do not hold out any hope of being able to improve this by reducing the cross steering tube poundage or by any other small modifications. The obvious thing to do would be to fit the SpectreCodename for Phantom III steering, but in view of the fact that development has stopped on this car we are not doing anything in the matter. A design has been prepared for fitting the SpectreCodename for Phantom III steering to 21-G-IV and this will go to France after Easter. 20/25 - Lower Gear Ratio. 21-G-IV is being prepared for France and will leave after Easter. With regard to other ways of increasing the 20/25 performance, we are trying to find some means of doing this without major design alterations. At the moment this does not seem impossible, and the necessary work is in hand. We should be in a position to demonstrate something in about 3 weeks. Wraith Engine in the Vulture. The scheme for this is being dealt with by E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Operating Synchromesh Box by Relay. This is being dealt with by E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||