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).
Design specifications and features for the new Continental Car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\1\ Scan012 | |
| Date | 12th April 1930 | |
| TO SE. FROM EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} SECRET. COPY TO WHR.{Mr Wheeler} HN.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} RR CONTINENTAL CAR. P.2. On Monday next Whr.{Mr Wheeler} and Hn.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} will shew you the revised designs of the car originally known as the Sports Car but now called the Continental Car. You will remember that it was agreed to build this car ostensibly as an Expl. Car and that it should have coachwork which would render it suitable for propaganda work on the Continent. The original body, a close coupled allweather was not thought suitable, and the present designs were got out as the results of criticisms by Whr.{Mr Wheeler} Sa. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and yourself. The chassis is a standard short chassis P.2. with the following special features apart from any engine modifications which you may subsequently agree to add:- (1) "F" Type Steering Column. (2) Stiffer springs, lowering the car and improving the car for Continental conditions, Already done. (3) 20ins. rims and 7ins. tyres. These are not essential. We have not included the Improved Bonnet and Dash or the 60ins. rear track as neither are essential and they would render the car unsuitable for propaganda work. We wish to adhere to the short chassis so that there is no fear of such a chassis ever being subsequently fitted with town carriage coachwork. Whilst the car is very low in overall height, there is ample headroom over both the front and rear seats, in fact more than we get on some of our normal cars. We are suggesting that the car might be finished in electric grey and white, with untarnishable external fittings with which the electric grey would blend. The interior would be finished in blue leather, silver fittings, and no interior wood-work. The intention at the moment is to build the car at Barkers, asking them to use the Hooper Sunshine Roof, as they have had experience in building bodies of this type (18 KX.) which are light and will stand up well on the Continent. We anticipate that this car when perfected can be made to have a really remarkable performance. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} I am enclosing these two prints just for your information The drawings will be issued to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} in the normal way as soon as we have SG{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s approval. I think that if we can have this car it will be a good start. | ||