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).
Vehicle wheelbase length, body design, luggage capacity, and spare wheel placement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0303 | |
| Date | 27th May 1936 guessed | |
| (sheet 2) propeller shaft length with present engine revs a shorter wheelbase would, therefore, help this problem. A shorter wheelbase also helps the body having a swept back in not making the body longer than necessary or the quarter heavier than necessary. We do not think that the rear passenger ride comes into the question, having regard to the fact that he is already well forward, and this feature will be greatly improved by independent front suspension. The only argument for retaining the present 10 ft 6 ins. wheelbase is to improve weight distribution for cornering, but even with 10 ft 3 ins. we shall be better off than now because the relationship of rear passengers, body, and luggage, with rear axle, would remain same as now, but the engine, weight, etc. and driver are definitely forward relative to front axle. The argument, therefore, on the whole is in favour of shortening the wheelbase 3". We have provided in this scheme for carrying the spare wheel, if required, on the passenger side instead of the rear of the body so as to make a rear luggage boot lid{A. J. Lidsey} possible for carrying luggage, with a swept back, where luggage space is greatly restricted. This has been done without spoiling access to the front seats, by adopting a suggestion of EV{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}'s to make the door line on the driver's side, where the gear lever is in the way, swept forward at the bottom more than the door line on the passenger's side, which latter is controlled by the spare wheel. This would bring the front access up to the latest proposed standard on the offside where the opening is restricted by the gear lever, and leave the nearside as it is at present. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||