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).
Secret memo discussing the trials of different crankshaft types for the Phantom III Spectre chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 93\5\ scan0110 | |
| Date | 28th September 1935 | |
| 4317 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} E.2/HP.28.9.35. Phantom 3 Crankshafts. SECRET. We are about to send the second SpectreCodename for Phantom III to France with a crankshaft having attached balance weights, as used hitherto, that is, as soon as this chassis has been released from trials purposes. We should like to have the third SpectreCodename for Phantom III chassis to follow this one fitted with a crankshaft having the solid balance weights to LeC.4597. We realise that this shaft has 25% less counter balance than the alternative type, but it is a very much simpler proposition to manufacture and also renders the operation of assembling and dissembling the connecting rods much more easy. The question of what effect the reduced balance will have on bearing life and engine smoothness of course remain to be investigated. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} [Handwritten Annotation] For P.W.G's move altering for this crank owing to hurried revision to solid large balance weights. This would have to be machined off all cranks if we reverted to present type. | ||