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).
Issue of uncomfortably high car seats and proposing solutions for improved seating comfort as part of the 'Low Chassis Campaign'.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 69\4\ scan0057 | |
| Date | 10th June 1926 | |
| To B.J. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} C. to LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} PN.{Mr Northey} " WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} EY. CWB. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} X8720 R19/M10.6.26. LOW CHASSIS CAMPAIGN - X.8830. X9410 X3993 In all the cars I see the back seats are uncomfortably high and one feels one is sitting on the car instead of in the car. Since a cushion depresses about 2" with the load, a 7" or 8" would come down to 5" or 6". This would seem ample, and is ample on the car I used in France(7 -EX). If the springing of the cushion is excessive it would have a tendency for the passenger to be jolting up and down, and rubbing his back on the back cushion. In our ideal chassis which we hope to produce soon the front and back seats can be level, that is, the driver is our standard D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} driver seat which is only just high enough for comfortably viewing the road, and we are arranging that the back seat should be the same height, with the same thickness of cushion, namely, from 5" to 6" when compressed. It is thought that such a cushion - a combination of steel springs and hair - will be a little better if it rests on the foundation board, sloping back 5°, and there would still be 5° of taper in the cushion. I am going into this question rather deeply because of the errors of high cars and high seats in the past, and also because we want to do all we possibly can to the chassis to give the coachbuilder every opportunity of making a low and comfortably seated car. I may say that if the seating is high the riding is uncomfortable as well as the fact that the sides of the ordinary bodies are not high enough to give one the feeling of comfort. This applies especially to the last open car, stock body, bought from Barkers. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||