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).
Visit to the 1934 Paris Show and a test drive of the 28-EX car after completing a 15,000-mile test.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\5\ 05-page188 | |
| Date | 9th October 1934 | |
| x 794) To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to A.{Mr Adams} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}17/KW.9.10.34. VISIT TO THE PARIS SHOW 1934. We visited the Paris Show, and at the same time took the opportunity of driving 28-EX on completion of its 15,000 miles test in France. 28-EX. 10,000 miles Car. We cannot recollect having previously tried a car that was so bad for rattles and noises at the end of 15,000 miles. We agree that the condition of the French roads make the car at least 100% worse than it is on English roads. However, it is not a question of a short stretch of Continental road causing the trouble, the conditions for producing intolerable rattles on this car exist through almost every town and village in Northern France. We understand from Hencock that he has done a considerable amount of work on the body, and he estimates that he has improved its condition by 50%, so that it is difficult to imagine what it was like at its worst. There is no doubt that the chassis flexibility is a contributory cause to this state of affairs, probably the more so since controllable dampers were fitted. We have never before, however, felt so impressed with the necessity of aiming at making a frame such as we have on the SpectreCodename for Phantom III and of building engineering into the coachwork. The rubber engine mounting improved the silence and smoothness of the power unit. The road holding was on the whole disappointing; we formed the impression that our controllable hydraulics do not eliminate the necessity for Hartfords being fitted on Continental Phantoms for European conditions. The gearbox is better than when we last tried the car. | ||