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).
Critique of 1939 American car design, specifically the Lincoln Zephyr and Oldsmobile 8, focusing on undesirable features.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\3\ img196 | |
| Date | 25th July 1939 guessed | |
| Lincoln Zephyr and Olds. 8. (1939) The total body shell, including radiator shell and bonnet, is all usefully employed in containing either mechanism, passengers or baggage. Very little tinware (out-side the wings) is wasted in enclosing "wind". There are plenty of undesirable features:- Almost 200 lbs of sheet steel per car, which is nearly idle, contributing little or nothing to strength or stiffness and simply there for appearance. Side windows so low that the rear passengers cannot see anything but road surface and the wheels of passing traffic. Wheelbases too short, in some cases only about 57% of the total overall length of the car. With this go front "noses" projecting nearly 30 inches ahead of the front wheels (in some cases enclosing 10 inches of empty air); rear bustles projecting 45 inches behind rear wheels, which are liable to strike on garage ramps. And the general air of a four-wheel tramcar. Because of the short wheelbases rear door pillars are often bent, when for structural and appearance reasons they should be straight. An argument for this is that the public "prefers" [Note: The word 'this' is struck through, and the phrase 'long rear overhang' is written as an insertion below the line.] | ||