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).
Phantom Steering, clarifying a misunderstanding about testing non-standard springs and the process for coordinating modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 67\4\ scan0139 | |
| Date | 1st July 1926 | |
| <strike>465</strike> 48430 To <strike>Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}</strike> from BJ. Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Copy to <strike>Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager}</strike> Phantom Steering. Referring to your Wor{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}12/M7/7/26, I can see that a misunderstanding has arisen at W., based on PN{Mr Northey}5/GM2/7/26. Perhaps PN{Mr Northey}'s memo. did not make it quite clear that the standard has not been altered on any car as, although a car was tested with springs of different strengths, this was only for experimental purposes and the original standardised springs were eventually replaced. No Sales official would alter any item on a chassis which has been standardised without first going through the regular course, and of course no Sales official would insist on anything being fitted that had not been standardised. It was for this reason and in order to save time that PN{Mr Northey} sent a copy to you of his PN{Mr Northey}5/GM2/7/26, which was addressed to me, in order that you might see and consider his proposal made at the top of page 2, as he would wish to follow the usual procedure of conferring with the Works officials on any such important technical points suggested by him. You will no doubt have noticed in paragraph 5 of BJ9/EG/7/26 that I made this specially clear, that with such an important matter it was very necessary that the Works and Sales officials should co-ordinate and agree to any modifications, either by sending a representative to London to make tests with Sales or by any other course that Works officials may suggest. Although Sales officials made serious tests on the roughest pot-hole roads as well as on smooth roads in their recent trial here, it is fully appreciated that it is a most difficult matter for all the technical officials to come to any definite satisfactory conclusion in connection with cars of different sizes, shapes and weights, to be suited equally for good English roads and the rough French roads. It seems quite necessary that the cars we sell in England shall as far as possible be suited for use on the rough Continental roads, as we never know which are likely to go on the Continent. Whereas Sales officials had only had an opportunity of testing these springs with Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} on a light car in France when they came to the general conclusion that 1500 lbs. was a reasonable average, they were shocked when they tried some heavier cars | ||