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).
Testing policy for a new radiator and back wheel carrier on the Phantom Sports Chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 148\5\ scan0026 | |
| Date | 21th December 1927 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from BJ. c. to Wcr. c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X399+ BJS/D21.12.27. Dictated 20.12.27. PHANTOM SPORTS CHASSIS. This matter was considered this morning by C., Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} PN.{Mr Northey}, CWB., H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} and BJ. and we telephoned to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} at 3 o'clock this afternoon in reply to his telegram saying that a decision was urgent to the effect that the new radiator and back wheel carrier on the Phantom should be tested on the road on the 10,000 miles test before they were standardized It is considered that in view of the fact that it is now costing us £20,000 per annum to put our chassis right, free of charge to the customer, and that during the past few years the Phantom has obtained an extremely bad reputation for overheating and that the numerous other items which have to be corrected on the chassis free of charge not only cost us a large amount of money but also considerably injure the reputation of the Rolls-Royce cars, we cannot afford to discard our policy of testing any improved features for 10,000 miles practical test on the roads, but that we should increase rather than decrease our tests of new designs or modifications. We are not satisfied that either of these items has been tested for 10,000 miles under the severe conditions that we consider necessary, for 10,000 miles ordinary running is a comparatively light test. Faults so often only show themselves when the car gets into the hands of the average user and tests should include a considerable distance driven by those who are not used to obtaining the best from our cars. This also applies to the test in London traffic, where the car may run on top gear for several hours at very low speeds. The chief advantage in introducing the new radiator would be a matter of appearance. We are receiving very few comments from our customers in regard to present appearance, and in order to prevent the Sports Model being different to Standard Models it seems desirable to have our present standard radiator and shutters on the Sports Model and the new radiator can be tried on the next Phantom 10,000 miles test, which we presume will have the turbulent head. If these two are tested together then they should become standard together, otherwise we shall have no knowledge of the new radiator with the present type cylinder head. As regards the back wheel carrier, this is such a very considerable departure in design that it should be tested | ||