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).
Decision to delete the body subframe on the Phantom II chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 14\8\ Scan332 | |
| Date | 18th July 1932 | |
| COPY. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to C. Rg.{Mr Rowledge} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to PN.{Mr Northey} BODY SUBFRAMES. We are asked to give a decision whether we can delete the subframe on Phantom ll chassis. This was raised some time ago and we asked then that Sales should instruct future Trials cars to be built without subframes. 61-JS.{Mr Johnson's Secretary} car has been running about for some time without a subframe and there are no adverse comments. Originally one of the advantages we claimed for the subframe was that it enabled us to insulate the body from the frame and thereby reduce body booms. Since however we have adopted Diamond engine mounting and insulated the engine from the frame this is far more effective, and therefore one of the original claims for the body subframe no longer exists. In the case of the 25 HP. cars, we have a lot of experience of cars with and without subframes and the result is that we have not been able to prove any advantage of the subframe. Any future cars we have will be made without subframes. The Expl. Dept., from experience would say that we can safely do away with subframes on P.2. We cannot, however, point to any specific tests to confirm this. On the present standard cars with subframes we get tremendous variation as regards the jellying at the front end. We should not expect this variation to be any less or any more if we delete the subframe. We therefore propose to send around a Standardisation Sheet deleting Phantom ll body subframes. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||