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).
Five required modifications to the body of a Continental Phantom to improve comfort and space.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 12\3\ X704-0074 | |
| Date | 31th January 1928 | |
| COPY FOR HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 47830 B.J. (Copy to LHS{Lord Herbert Scott}). " " C). " " Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}). Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}9/M/31.1.28. Re: Body on Continental Phantom. After examining this carefully and taking into consideration your own criticisms and those of PN.{Mr Northey} and CWB. I consider that before we order any, we should take care to see to the following :- 1). Increase the distance from back of wheel to back of front seat by 2". We can always pad up with upholstery to the present dimension for people of short stature but the great thing is to have sufficient length to enable us to give a comfortable driving seat for tall people. PN.{Mr Northey} can only drive this car with the greatest discomfort. 2). More room must be given for the driver's right elbow and this can easily be attained by opening up space at present occupied by a pocket on the driver's door. The lower part of this could be left as an open pocket and the top part merely have some upholstery pasted on to the panelling instead of brought out away from the panelling as at present. 3). There is insufficient room between the back edge of the back deck and the occupants of the back seat and also between the back screen and these occupants. The feeling in the back is of being very much hedged in on this account. We suggest that the deck should be shortened by 4½" for this purpose so as to bring it 4½" away from the occupants of the back seat. It must be remembered that if we give 2" more length to the front seat and the body rail at the back of the driver goes back this amount, the overall depth of the back deck will require to be reduced 6½". 4). There is insufficient room for ones foot on the accelerator pedal if a rather large shoe or boot is worn. To give more room here, the bottom right hand corner of the brake pedal might be cut out and the main side members of the body on which it is built might be scooped out at the top, as at present it is this main body runner that ones foot comes up against. 5). The fairly large open space at the side of the side brake lever quadrant must be closed up and the draught reduced which at present comes into the scuttle from the separation scheme for body and scuttle. We suggest Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} might look - 1 - | ||