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).
Production of a lightened body for the Continental Phantom III, comparing coachbuilders Barkers and Young.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 96\4\ scan0121 | |
| Date | 4th November 1936 | |
| 358 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/R.4.11.36. CONTINENTAL PHANTOM III. We should like to raise a point in connection with the Continental P.III in order that the matter may be discussed at the meeting next week. We fully appreciate that since Barkers are being given the order for the close-coupled P.III bodies, it is desirable they should produce a lightened body for test. We do question, however, whether, apart from reasons of policy, they are the most suitable people to do the job. If we look at the list of coachwork which has so far been fitted to P.III cars, we see that Barkers have produced one body of the type, we believe, in which we are interested, and this is fitted to 3-AZ-38, which weighs 13 cwts. 2 qrs. 22 lbs. Young has produced a similar body fitted to 3-AZ-30, which weighs 12 cwts. less. Therefore, if Barkers knock 2 cwts off their figure they will be very little lighter than a body which can be bought from Youngs in the ordinary way. Guy Knowles, whom we consider is a very discerning owner, has been highly satisfied with the last three bodies he has obtained from Young, and these have all been considerably lighter than Barker bodies of a similar type. Briefly, therefore, we believe we are correct in stating that Barkers' experience of building really light bodies is negligible, and it seems problematical to us that they should be successful in this present attempt. Our suggestion, therefore, is that there could, with advantage, be some competition on this lightened saloon, and that Youngs could also be asked to construct a body. The lighter of the two could be fitted to the experimental chassis; the other used on a Demonstration car. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||