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).
Complaints of uncomfortable riding and springing in the rear seats of the 20/25 HP model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 106\1\ scan0355 | |
| Date | 11th September 1935 | |
| Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Dev X346 Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} Leslie' re 20/25 HP. SPRINGING. --------- We are continually receiving complaints of uncomfortable riding in the rear seats of our cars, and the introduction of the hand controlled dampers does not appear to have reduced these complaints to any marked extent. There is no question that many of our cars are very uncomfortable in the rear seats and although in many cases we have been able to effect an improvement by alteration to the shock dampers or suitable choice of spring ratings, the fact remains that in very few cases have we been able to feel that the springing compares favourably with other cars. Our experience of many hundreds of complaints points to the fact that the chief factor responsible for the discomfort complained of is incorrect weight distribution combined with indifferent design of the seat cushions and squab. There seems to be a definite demand for a type of body having a division behind the driver, two occasional seats in the rear and plenty of leg room for the rear passengers. The type of customer who desires a body of this sort is always just the person who wishes to ride on the rear seats with a fair degree of comfort, but the invariable result is that the rear passengers are placed in the worst possible position, i.e., immediately over, or in some cases, actually behind the rear axle. Any pitching of the car is felt most acutely by the rear passengers. It is very rare that we receive complaints of the riding of cars which have a close coupled saloon -contd- | ||