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).
List of suggested design and engineering improvements for a motor car, including chassis, bonnet, engine, and other components.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\5\ Scan242 | |
| Date | 31th December 1928 guessed | |
| -3- The whole chassis should be lowered 3" to 4". That the 2½" longer bonnet which I have is an enormous improvement is the opinion of 100% of the people who have seen it. Everyone says it looks a real motor car instead of being too stumpy. I think you would sell many more cars with this modification. For example only today I was talking to Lord Cholmondeley who said if he had been offered a car like mine, he would have bought one, only recently considering a 20 h.p. and a 3 litre Bugatti he chose the Bugatti instead. His words were that it now looked like a motor car. I think you might still sell him one like mine. I think the louvres in the bonnet would look better if not so tall, say 3" or 4" less in overall height. Coachbuilders say the bonnet is a bit flimsy and whippy compared with other makes and I think they are right and that it would be improved if made stiffer. The petrol feed is far too apt to bung up and all the apertures should be bigger and the parts which one has to dismantle so often, particularly on the carburettor, should be more robust. As it is, I think a car would be very lucky to get through a 2,000 mile trial like the Austrian Alpine one, with locked bonnet. A second set of plugs coupled up to the magneto like the Phantom is desirable for many reasons, reliability being perhaps the biggest reason. This is crying out to be done. The engine is a trifle sluggish pulling at low speeds and larger valves and exhaust ports plus a larger carburettor might help it very much and also enable it to turn faster which would still further help matters. If, in addition, another 4 to 5 mm. could be added to the bore on the existing crankcase it would make just the difference and help the top gear performance very much. The front appearance is better with the front number plate below the cross member instead of, as normally, above it. On the chassis with raked steering, the side wheel carrier might be further back, it would enable better looking and | ||