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's Phantom III complaint of a 'forward drive groan' and a request for a cure.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 96\1\ scan0055 | |
| Date | 21th December 1936 | |
| [Handwritten at top] 361 [Handwritten recipient] Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} LESmuts [Handwritten note] Please discuss Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} [Typed text] re. Phantom III. 3-AZ-126 Col.Parkinson The above customer after using his car for 300 miles returned it to N complaining of a boom between 20 and 30 m.p.h. Br asked GWH{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} and myself to go on the car with a view to suggesting a cure for this. There is no doubt that this customer's complaint is the "forward drive groan" which you will remember Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} demonstrated some time ago could be cured by the use of a propeller shaft damper We should be pleased to know if you are now in a position to recommend a cure for this trouble as we feel sure that more customers will complain of this feature, also Br is wanting to know what he can do to satisfy Col.Parkinson. At the moment the car has been returned to the Coachbuilders and they are trying to improve the damping of the body in an attempt to minimise this feature as much as possible, but we feel sure that with the experience we have of this groan on various types of bodies we cannot hope to effect a cure sufficient to satisfy this customer. If you are in a position to suggest anything to cure this trouble, will you please let us know so that it can be applied to this car. LA{L. A. Archer} | ||