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 instrument and board layout for the B.3 model.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 138\2\ scan0205 | |
| Date | 10th November 1932 | |
| E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} FROM DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} x 231 DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1/M10.11.32. C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} EY. B.3 INSTRUMENTS & BOARD. x 6/41 We have reconsidered the problem of the instrument and board for B.3., as viewed in the light of the new programm (1) We take it you will use a standard RR. switchbox. (2) The speedometer and tachometer cannot be on a board well up into the scuttle on a fast car such as this, as the driver cannot take his eyes of the road long enough to see them when travelling at 100 MPH. We suggest that these 2 instruments should form a separate patch, with interior lighting on the edge of the scuttle rail immediately in front of the driver, as on many sports cars. (3) The main instrument board and switchbox must be well up the scuttle to enable the driver's legs to pass between it an the central gear lever when he wants to get out on the near side, as he always does with an open car when the hood is up. (4) We presume that we could then dispense with the framed patch and use a grouped system of separate instruments on the main board which, being well shielded from the driver's eyes, could have flood lighting from under the scuttle on its own separate switch. The instruments on the board we presume would be: (1)clock, (2)Oil Pressure Gauge, (3) Petrol gauge, (4) Water temperature gauge, (5) Ammeter. (5) We think that the speed ometer and tachometer on this car should read to 110 MPH., and should be at least the largest standard instruments - i.e. 4-7/8" dia. We are going to rig up an instrument board like this on one of the bodies at Park Wards, with a view to seeing what it will look like. We are approaching Messrs. Smith & Sons with a view to buying the speedometer and tachometer together in our oval patch complete with switch and interior light. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||