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).
Technical report detailing various vehicle faults and proposed modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 91\1\ scan0025 | |
| Date | 29th July 1935 | |
| -2- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/MJ.29.7.35. Cont'd.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} (9) Lead Bronze Bearing Failures. The ones which are running in France are O.K. but we have had a certain amount of difficulty on other engines. We are proposing that the next car to go out shall have white metal main bearings. These are permissable because we have an oil cooler on this car. (10) Oil Pressure Failure. Improvement to the baffles in the bottom half. (11) Steering Shocks. Marles type of steering has reduced these shocks but not eliminated them. However further improvements are in hand to improve road shocks. The original box has developed an oil leak and a modification to design has been incorporated and will be run on the next car in France. (12) Overheating of the Cooling System. The next car to run in France will have radiator shutters and modified thermostats which will improve this condition. With our present knowledge we think it will be exceedingly difficult to ensure that the SpectreCodename for Phantom III will not overheat under extreme Continental conditions unless a louvred bonnet is fitted. (13) Intake Roar. We consider that the modified intakes silencer has made this satisfactory. (14) Exhaust System. This is now passable for booms but even with the lagging it is inclined to 'tinniness'. In this respect we do not think it will be appreciably worse than the Phantom but it may be criticised, as the car will otherwise be generally more silent. (15) Silent Tappet Mechanism Sticking. Eccentric ratio altered to 8:1. (16) Seizure of the floating bushes in the gearbox. GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} reports that he has managed to get oil to these and modifications are being incorporated in future gearboxes. (17) Leaks from the inner joint of the front shock absorbers and from external pipe joints. The front shock absorbers have been re-designed to get rid of the external high pressure joints and it has been found that the swaging of the internal joint reduces the internal leak. Another trouble has developed however which is given in the other list. | ||