Rolls-Royce
Maurice Olley was a technician who worked at Rolls-Royce in Derby since 1912, and had come to work with Sir Henry Royce on several projects. During the War of 1914 traveled to the United States to organize there manufacture aircraft engines Rolls-Royce, at the request of the American government.
At the end of the war, Britain’s economy had been greatly shaken, and was expected difficult selling luxury cars in an impoverished country. For that reason it was thought to enhance the potential of the Rolls in the large North American market. Maurice Olley, Claude Johnson got the approval of Sir Henry to install a factory in Springfield, and start up the construction of the Silver Ghost model.
The Rolls-Royce American plant began operations in 1920. Olley was responsible for the technical direction, Nadin Thomas was the general superintendent, George Bagnell director of personnel and Harry Purdon chief editor. Also in the first year, 53 monitors, shipped from the factory English Derby, worked together to organize the manufacturing methods under the quality and accuracy of traditional signature Rolls-Royce.
As a goal, had set an important figure of 350 cars annually, but in reality was never achieved. Until 1926 a total of 1,703 were built model cars Silver Ghost.
The machines Rolls experienced the famous Darwin’s theory on the evolution of species, because only the first 25 chassis built in Springfield were exactly the same as the British. Soon began tempered changes to the conditions of that country, especially in two aspects: first sought greater ease of construction, replacing electrical equipment, instrumentation, wheels and other accessories come from other English-born, the second was due to buyers’ requirements Americans were forced to make changes very considerable. For example, the gearbox lever with Central and three relationships (instead of the four cars that rode English) forced technicians from Springfield to design and carry out a completely new kind of box.
In 1924 he moved to address the left side. But that operation, it is relatively easy to perform in most automobiles, was a real headache for technicians of the Rolls, given the complexity of those mechanics, and in turn led to other important changes, such as the elimination of magneto which was superseded by a second delco.
With such experience, when I raise the need, in 1926, to manufacture the new Phantom model factory in Springfield, its leaders conceived the original idea of building from the beginning all the car in reverse, ie its symmetrically English counterpart, to avoid endless subsequent amendments, very complicated and costly.
Of these cars symmetrical unique in the annals of motorsport, 1,241 copies were manufactured hasta1931, when finally stopped the activity of this factory.
In 1925 Rolls-Royce began manufacturing their first models Phantom, Phantom I. It was a six-cylinder engine very similar to that of Ghost, which differed only in their engine capacity. It was built up to the year 1929 in number of 2,212 units.
In the same year the American depression was born on Phantom II also with six-cylinder engine, but with notable differences in the I (separate block, motor bearings, new combustion chambers and new collectors). It was a marvel of automotive operating flexible and silent, but in the view of some mechanics had something in his truck and compared it with a velvet carpet for its ease of skidding. From Phantom II, which could reach 130 km / h, 1,767 units were built.
The 39 appeared in the third instalment Phantoms, whose main innovation was compared to the previous engine: a twelve cylinders in V at 60 ° tilt, valves butt in a cylinder capacity of 7,340 cc and 165 hp power to 3,000 revolutions. Other notable peculiarities of l Phantom III were the butt of aluminum, dual ignition, double electric pump power, change of four marches in sync with front suspension and wheel independent coil springs. Actually, it was a much more modern vehicle that the Phantom I and II.
The fourth of a vehicle with Phantoms was truly special, and certainly the most exclusive of all Rolls-Royce ever built. Only 18 units were manufactured and sold only to kings, princes and heads of state.
The first was originally designed at the request of Princess Elizabeth and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. At its creation was used chassis model Silver Wraith lengthened by 18 inches, which was set up with an engine from eight cylinders in line 5,675 cc, whose factory was the name of B-80. It was an exceptionally long engine, but which fit perfectly into the design of a vehicle designed with a ceremonial and verbose. The proportions between the end voluminous hood and the rest of the bodywork was perfect.
The engine of the Phantom IV was exactly the same as the Silver Wraith, which had added two more cylinders, from 6 to 8, but with the same diameter and career (3.5 and 4.5 inches, respectively). This eight-cylinder in-line equipped addition to the Bentley MK VI and R and at first was created and developed to provide a vehicle fire, the famous truck Dennis. With regard to brand Rolls, was never mounted any other model.
It is supposed, according to expert estimates, this engine would generate about 160 hp (exact figure is unknown because of the tradition of signing not indicate the power of their engines), with whom the Phantom IV reached the 100 miles per hour.
At first, and for the first models, created a manual gearbox, with four walks and latch on the ground, on the right side. The last units were built and equipped with automatic transmission.
Of these eighteen extraordinary vehicles, three were commissioned by the Spanish head of state.