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).
The issues of a Phantom II test car, including body boom, vibration, and harsh springing, concluding it is unsuitable for demonstration.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\3\ Scan057 | |
| Date | 16th January 1930 | |
| +7960. EH.1/MT16.1.30. S/H...from P.N. Copy to O.P. Cor. Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} Hiv. 29-WH. London Trials. Resulting from a run I gave this car yesterday afternoon I have formed the opinion that we should avoid using it for demonstration purposes as in certain respects it is not likely to give a just and satisfactory impression of our latest "Phantom II" production. The troubles are as follow :- 1. There is a definite tendency for the body to boom at 18/25 m.p.h. and also at 48 m.p.h. The earlier tendency results from the body itself being of a resonant nature, the sides of the rear quarters and the hood are hard and like a drum in spite of the leather having the appearance of a soft-non-vibrating head, and the fact that our engine is a bad example to my mind of torque re-action vibration. I do not consider that this engine would give any type of body a chance at this speed. 2. The periodical vibration at 48 m.p.h. might probably be dealt with by W. satisfactorily by fitting one of the two slipper dampers, but unless the earlier vibration referred to can be greatly improved I should not suggest the expense of the new damper would be justified. 3. This is the car which has caused some controversy in respect of its springing. Our customers and enquirers appear to be consistently constant in their strong criticism of the springing of this car which is found to be harsh on bad roads and the pothole type of surface at slow speeds. W. have had this car recently with a view to improving this point if possible and E.P. has explained in his memo EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}12/H.20.12.29 the opinion of himself and Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} that this car is as good as Derby can turn out in respect of springing. We have got to the unhappy position that in spite of this statement we do not find it suitable for purposes of demonstration. | ||