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).
Multiple failures of the oil pump drive shaft assembly on the Phantom III, recommending immediate replacement of existing shafts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 149\2\ scan0123 | |
| Date | 14th September 1936 | |
| By: [REDACTED] from Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} Swell - X1265 Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}33/T14.9.36 OIL PUMP DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY PHANTOM III Further to my report Mx{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer}8/T10.8.36 of the two failures of this part on chassis on test - we have since had a failure on the road on a final chassis which was being driven by IA. The Chassis had run 10 miles before this happened, so that the failure in this case was not due to increased resistance of cold oil as we had at first thought. Fortunately IA noticed that the gauge was not registering oil pressure, or he may easily have wrecked the engine. We submit in view of the three failures which have occurred during the time chassis were on test that retrospective action should be taken immediately, and the existing drive shafts be replaced by ones made in accordance with memo BY1/G28.8.36 E88345 E88346 7 8 Lop E86843 | ||