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).
General car position report on Phantom III and 20/25 HP models, detailing test progress and issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0290 | |
| Date | 1st May 1936 | |
| X200 To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c.c. to WOP. c.c. to R.{Sir Henry Royce} c.c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c.c. to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} Ha/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}19/EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}1.5.36. General Car Position. PHANTOM III. 32-EX is now ready for France. There are also several Phantom III's on test. The worst feature of the cars appears to be the steering. We are also working on the exhaust as complained of by Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} 32-EX is arranged for rubber shackles. Firth's, have entirely failed to keep to their original promise of supplying the road springs in three weeks, and these will follow the car out. The first objective on the Continent is to check up the induction system for vapour lock. We are proposing to run the new Dunlop silent type of tyre on 32-EX in France, which we understand have been approved by Sales. 20/25 HP. 22-G-V has been held up owing to a damaged front axle, but should have commenced running again now. So far the precautions taken to prevent vapour lock appear to be successful. Hancock will check over the cooling and petrol supply system under high temperature, hill climbing conditions, as soon as possible. We have made some improvement to the idling by attention to sparking plugs. The exhaust valve failure will mean that all the exhaust valves on the large bore 20/25's so far made will have to be changed. The Design Dept. have issued a valve which has a greater factor of safety than even the Bentley valve which was first suggested, and this will be used for replacements. In the meantime a complete analysis is being carried out on the test bed to ascertain the exact causes of the failure. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||