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).
Proposed modification to the L.38 Continental Siam steering assembly to improve clearance with the window winder.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 26\1\ Scan217 | |
| Date | 12th March 1956 | |
| SECRET To:- Hdy{William Hardy}/HP. From Hdy{William Hardy}/Tln/NWC. Hdy{William Hardy}/Tln/NWC.1/MBL. 12.3.56. File No. 4401. c. Hdy.{William Hardy} AFM{Anthony F. Martindale}/GB. Hdy{William Hardy}/Tln. JPB. Hdy{William Hardy}/GHK. HE/EH. L.38 Continental Siam. UR.3075 & UR.3084 - Transfer Gear Casings - R.{Sir Henry Royce} & L.H. - Steering Box. The Styling Department have requested an improvement in the clearance between the steering wheel and the window winder on L.38 Continental Siam and in order to facilitate this the steering wheel has been moved inboard to a position 12.250" from the chassis centre line (the present production Siam position) whilst the position of the transfer gear at the lower and of the steering column remains unaltered at 13.250" from the chassis centre line. This would impose additional distortion on the rubber coupling since it is used as a universal joint and to reduce this distortion we ask that additional metal be added to the bosses on the gear casing as shown on the marked up print of UR 3084 attached to Hdy{William Hardy}/HP's copy so that the tapped holes for the studs on the valve box facing may be drilled up to 2° from their existing positions. It may be that experimental running will show that this off centre drilling is unnecessary and that the rubber coupling will accommodate the additional distortion. In this case the part will be identical for L.38 Siam 'B' and 'D' and L.38 Siam Continental but should it be required to drill off centre for Continental the casting will still be common. JK Hdy{William Hardy}/Tln/NWC. | ||