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).
Suggestions for different body styles for six 'SPECTRE' cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 92\1\ scan0030 | |
| Date | 15th November 1934 | |
| Private x4694 304 S/W...Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C2/C15.11.34 Re SPECTRECodename for Phantom III. You were asking last week what types of bodies we would suggest should be built for the six cars, bearing in mind that we might wish to use two of the cars for demonstration purposes. We would suggest:- (1) Full size Limousine with fixed roof – namely the one you already have. (2) The body now on order with Park Ward – also a full size Limousine, but built specially light. (3) Continental Saloon with Sunshine roof. (4) ditto. (5) Full size Limousine Landaulet, because this will give us some idea of the effect of opening the back. (6) Full size Owner-driver-steering Saloon body with dropping division and de Ville front, because this is often a difficult body owing to the fact that when the de Ville front is folded back the front pillars are largely unsupported. Whether we fit flap emergency seats we can decide later. A Saloon is on order at Park Wards, I understand, and it is proposed that two other bodies should be ordered from Hoopers and two from Barkers. You will appreciate that it is not advisable to order these bodies until it is essential that they should be ordered - that is, to coincide with the date upon which the chassis will be ready - because the longer we can restrict the number of people who know anything about this car the better it will be. Moreover there may be alterations developed in the chassis that might affect the coachwork as you go along. What I would really like, therefore, is some sort of approximate dates upon which you expect to have the other five chassis ready so that we may work with a view to getting the bodies ready in time for the chassis as they come along. C. | ||