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 and quality issues found on a Barker open body for Phantom Lower Cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\1\ scan0043 | |
| Date | 16th June 1926 | |
| To LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott}) To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} } FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} To.BY. } c.c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c.c. to PN.{Mr Northey} CWB. X7770 despatched 16.6.26. R3/M10.6.26. PHANTOM LOWER CARS. X.7830 X.7770 RE. BODY ON EAC.S.(12-EX) X.8830 X.8770 This body was casually inspected at WW. on Tuesday last. It is a Barker open body which we understand was a stock production and was bought cheaply for the purpose. There are however 2 or 3 items which should be improved if this type of body were repeated. SCUTTLE. The first is that like so many bodies I have seen lately the scuttle being unsupported by the dash is the most awful wobbly thing imaginable, and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} thinks that many cases of complaint about the steering column vibration are in reality the wobbling of the scuttle. How this is to be stiffened should be left to the coachbuilders. In addition to this 12-EX, and 7-EX, we hear of a white trials car belonging to RR. which has a frightful jellying scuttle. Surely there is no excuse for one body being worse than another? DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} has from time to time shewn the coach-builders how this jellying can be reduced by reinforcing the wooden scuttle frame known as the armature. Attached to this letter is a sketch of the scheme which we have just slightly modified to make it more practical. INSTRUMENT BOARD. The instrument board I think should be further forward, well under the edge of the scuttle so as to be clear of the driver's knees. While speaking of the instrument board we are very anxious to have cream faces all round, with black, or black and red hands. When can we have these? SEATING. The door handles near to the front seats press into the hips especially when sitting so as to give the driver ample clearance. The back seats are in my opinion much too high, and I cannot think we need have more than 5" or 6" compressed cushions above the highest position of the axle box when on the compressed rubber bump. FLOOR. We did not have time to criticise the height of the floor but I should like to point out that we must have a campaign for getting the floors and the seats lower. The floor generally seems about 1" higher and the seats about contd :- | ||