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).
Customer feedback from Lord Curzon on a Phantom vehicle.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\R\January1928-March1928\ 38 | |
| Date | 30th January 1928 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ) BJ. ) FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}) (At Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence.) C to WOR{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} C PN.{Mr Northey} OWB E SG{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} PHANTOM - re. LORD CURZON. ORIGINAL REC'D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} & DESPATCHED FROM WW. 3.2.28. Y4117 X7770 X235 X8774 Y353 We should reply to Lord Curzon's very kind and interest-ing letter with considerable care, to retain his good will, because he should be useful in many ways, and his testing and criticism is most useful. One's first thoughts are that it would have been wiser to have postponed sending him a car until we could have sent our Sports trials, and in perhaps a better time of the year. However there must have been some reason or advantage, and I send herewith my remarks which can be forwarded to him in my name if you wish. Naturally we are very pleased about the points he admires, especially as regards our hydraulic shock dampers. These have exceeded our expectations, and have proved - (1) Less harsh. (2) More constant. (3) Freer from wear. (4) More effective. (5) Better oil retaining. } than solid friction, and other makers of hydraulic dampers. Strange to say they are almost exactly the same thing as we tried to make 20 years ago, but could not keep the oil in them, and having so much other work to do, they were put away. Regarding Lord Curzon's adverse criticisms, this is perhaps better for us than praise, but less pleasant to bear. CLUTCH BRAKE. We quite agree, and had already made this 4 times more effective, and we are testing a pattern which can be more easily altered, because for less expert drivers the clutch brake should stop the clutch more slowly. Some drivers get over the diffi-culty experienced by Lord Curzon at high speeds by double clutch-ing up and down (because the engine slows down more quickly than the clutch). CONTROLS. We had not noticed the disadvantage of the design of controls, and we will do our best to improve them from the point mentioned. One feels it is entirely a question of what one is used to. (1) | ||