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).
Comparing the American and English Phantom I models, focusing on springing and cooling performance during a trip in America.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan091 | |
| Date | 1st July 1930 | |
| [Handwritten:] Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} x7772 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to R.{Sir Henry Royce} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} PN.{Mr Northey} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}17/El.7.30 Whilst I was in America I had the opportunity of driving in 4 or 5 different American made Phantom I cars. I was particularly interested in the springing because of my own experience on the Phantom I which I have been using for over a year. I am sorry to have to admit that the springing of the American Phantom I's is definitely superior to the English Phantom I's. When I was in America Mr.Beaver showed me a communication from Oy. from which I gathered that as a result of R.{Sir Henry Royce} having tried the American Phantom I the springs of that car were going to be removed and thoroughly examined and tested, and I should be interested to hear the result of that examination. Whilst I was over there, I covered many hundreds of miles by road and I should like to make it quite clear that, although around the main cities the roads are very congested, yet at the same time there is ample opportunity for really fast driving. On one occasion I travelled faster consistently than I have ever done before, and one morning we covered 190 miles in about 4 hours which, as you will see, indicates a very high speed. The road surfaces on some of these concrete long distance roads would not be criticised even at Brooklands. The heat conditions are of course greater than anything we experience in England and I am stressing this question of speed and heat particularly because it is important that we should be quite safe on this question of adequate cooling. You will remember that, when 23-EX was running its 10,000 mile test in France and you were, I think, away on the first experimental left-hand chassis, Hancock's reports indicated loss of water due to overheating and you experienced troubles with overheating on the left-handed | ||