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).
Running experience of Phantom and India cars, chassis weight reduction, and hydraulic shock absorber development.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\1\ Scan044 | |
| Date | 27th October 1925 | |
| To CJ. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} 4832 R2/M27.10.25. RE: RUNNING OF PHANTOM AND INDIA. X. 8770 X. 235 X. 8770 X. 832 We had some running experience of the cars last weekend - i.e. 8-EX and India (which are here), and Mr. Minchin's New PhantomCodename for PHANTOM I. All of them behaved well but I am very definitely impressed that we should reduce the weight of the 40/50 chassis, especially on the front wheels. We hope also the designs we have in hand will produce a better hydraulic shock damper than the unsatisfactory ones which can be purchased in Europe. We find the American one (Lovejoy) more satisfactory, but for many reasons it is not all that could be desired. So we are endeavouring to improve upon anything that has been produced up to the present. The idea of a hydraulic shock absorber, and the pattern which has proved the most satisfactory, is very similar to the one we were attempting to produce during the busy days of moving to Derby at the end of 1907. Mr. Minchin's car (Weyman body) is very light in the coachwork, but for a 40/50 it is too small, especially in width at the driver's seat. The appearance is novel but one could better judge after a year of hard use. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||