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).
Design considerations for a shorter, left-hand drive American chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\3\ Scan020 | |
| Date | 26th January 1929 | |
| SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} X.7772 RL/M26.1.29. c. to DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} RE. AMERICAN CHASSIS - LEFT HAND AND SHORTER. Naturally if America does not need the body space we should make the wheelbase shorter, and think the 144" the best dimension. Anyway I should not favour going below "142", and would prefer to overhang the back passengers less. The point is that the shorter wheelbase does not ride so well, and the passengers far back relative to the back axle make it worse, so that shortening the wheelbase for a given body is doubly bad. I think it is possible we might reduce the overhang at the back by pushing the radiator an inch or two forward relative to the front axle but I am not sure if the cross steering tube clears the engine. I detest bumpers because they increase the room required for the car, and are heavy. I can understand the rear ones better than the front. Can something be done to keep them closer to the wheels - i.e. especially the front ones, which look unnecessarily far forward. Also they can be narrower; they generally spread out beyond the road wheel hubs and splashers. We have now much shorter road wheel hubs. Cars look better with D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} columns because of the longer scuttle and lower seats and roof. We should like to cancel C. steering, and it is more reasonable to do so now that the floor at the rear is lower than the driver's parts, because many aged people do not like so low a seat as D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary}, but most drivers prefer it, and a high seat is not popular with chariffeurs. So that : (1) Have shorter wheelbase but not too much - say 144". (2) Do not overhang body more than necessary to get the accommodation. (3) Use the lowest seats so that roof can be low - therefore cancel B. certain, and C. if possible. Keep the max. overhang possible for emergency, i.e. not regular practice. As this SS.{S. Smith} will ride better under all equal circumstances it is possible to have slightly more overhang contd :- | ||