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).
Overheating issues with L.H. Phantom II cars in the U.S.A. and potential cooling solutions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan343 | |
| Date | 21th August 1931 | |
| W/S (C). c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. R.{Sir Henry Royce} BY14/G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 21.8.31. 1 Copy x766 OVERHEATING - L.H. PHANTOM 11 CARS. Referring to C.19/D.18.8.31. and R.R.A.I's letter of August 5th, we have always appreciated the fact that conditions in U.S.A., particularly in New York City, in the height of the Summer are extremely arduous, and to cover these it was arranged that we supplied bonnets with sliding shutters in, and also that we fitted radiator tubes with indents on the surfaces to increase the cooling capacity. Having done this, we have provided all safeguards which were available for use on production at the time the chassis were built. We know that R.R.A.I. used a radiator tube which had an increased number of indents over those we adopted, and that they used copper tubes where we use brass, and as a matter of fact exactly similar tubes are being tested out at the moment by the Experimental Department on the cars which are in France, with the object of determining whether we shall go to this further modified tube for standard production. There is nothing further that we can recommend adoption of in U.S.A. to improve conditions, as they are particularly averse to using louvred bonnet sides, the shuttered bonnet which we provided being a compromise as we ourselves would certainly have preferred the full louvred bonnet from the point of view of increased cooling efficiency. The position is particularly difficult, as if we finally adopt the American radiator tube modification they will certainly press their claim for improvement on chassis which we have delivered without this particular feature, and to incorporate it would mean quite a large sum of money, say something like £30. per chassis, and therefore it is particularly necessary that care should be taken in replying to U.S.A. in this connection. BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} | ||