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).
The experience of fitting Continental springs and Hartford shock absorbers to a Phantom II chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 17\1\ Scan046 | |
| Date | 27th June 1931 | |
| X7410 7410. Y5410. c to PH c to WOS. c to Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} c to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c to Dy.{F R Danby} c to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Hx. [Green circular stamp: RECEIVED 29 JUN 1931] re - Springing of RR. Cars I have just seen EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}'s copy of memo Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}2/K.26.6.31. It may be useful in connection with this question of fitting Continental springs to long type chassis, to put on record our experience in carrying out certain work on Captain Thistlethwaite's car. It will be remembered that this is a standard long type Phantom II chassis. We had to improve the controllability of this car for high speed work and to endeavour as far as possible to give it the stability of a Continental type car. It had been arranged to fit a complete set of Hartford Shock absorbers all round and if these alone were not effective to fit Continental type springs. As the job proceeded stage by stage, we were in a position to estimate the benefit of - (1) Hartford Shock absorbers. (2) The Continental springs. (3) Hartford shock absorbers & Continental springs. Assuming that we effected an 80% improvement, we should allocate the percentage to the various features as follows:- (1) Hartford Shock absorbers only. 10% certainly not more. (2) Continental front springs only. 70% (3) Continental front springs and shock absorbers. 80% We did not make any test of Continental springs fitted to the rear of this car, as we endeavoured to obtain a sufficient degree of satisfaction for the customer as economically as possible. [Signature] | ||