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 critiques and suggested improvements for a vehicle's design and features.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\5\ Scan241 | |
| Date | 31th December 1928 guessed | |
| -2- lamps is not the first thing to be hit. The carrying of the spare wheel should be adjustable between the present position and the vertical so that when the coachwork permits of it, the wheel can be vertical. The appearance is infinitely better and the wheel is safer. The scale on the petrol tank gauge should include litres, very easy to do this, quite neatly. The hydraulic shock dampers have a tendency to make a very annoying wooden knocking noise especially when only 99% full of oil. This is bad and should be remedied so they don't do it in any circumstances. The exhaust cut out is most valuable in many ways, for example, the car being so quiet, it makes driving in fog and mist and through villages much safer. It ought to be included, or at any rate a recommended standard extra. The gear gate should be turned about 20º more towards the front of the car, it would make getting in easier and the lever in 2nd and top comes back too close to the front seat, in fact, with a short driver there is a danger of its not coming right home and anyway it does not give enough clearance for coats, etc. The rubber footpads on the pedals are far too thick and occupy too much valuable leg room. The pedals should be fluted as on the old 40/50 so that if owners don't want the rubbers, they need not have them. The clutch and brake pedal rods should bolt into the arms, so they can easily be withdrawn, adjusted or got at. The radiator shutter control is not good, the gear ratio should be altered. There is about 4" of travel, yet all the useful motion takes place in about ½" and there is less than ¼" movement between too cold and boiling. The instruments should be tidied up a bit more and made to match better so they can be grouped better, like American and cheaper English cars, which are much ahead in this respect. It is very difficult to get a nice symmetrical job and coachbuilders mostly make an awful mess of it. If it would still further improve the steering, it would stand having the gear still further lowered. There is still a trace of the side to side flap of the front of the car over rough roads which was so noticeable in the early 4-wheel braked 20s. | ||