Test report and review of competing 10-HP cars, specifically the Vauxhall and Austin saloons.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\3\ scan0073 | |
| Date | 3rd April 1940 | |
| To Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 1104. Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} /AA. {D. Abbot Anderson} 2/B.3.4.40. 10-HP. CARS Last week I tested the following 1940 cars - Vauxhall, Austin, Hillman, Wolseley, Morris, Sunbeam-Talbot. I also took out the following 1939 cars as 1940 models are not in production.- Sunbeam-Talbot, Standard 9 and Standard 12. It was impossible to get hold of even a second-hand 10-HP Standard. Considering these cars in order - VAUXHALL SALOON - Mileage 134. A disappointing car - carburation very poor. I improved matters by some adjustments but still the car did not come up to standard. Engine Not particularly smooth and in view of the carburation I was unable to obtain any performance figures. At low speeds, when ticking over, the engine is quiet but on this particular one there was a noise - like a piston blow. Gear Box 3 speed, synchro-mesh on second and top. The operation was heavy but smooth. First gear is noisy but second is passable. Rear Axle Very unpleasant - noise noticeable at any speed over 20 m.p.h. on the pick up, becoming worse as speed increases. Extremely bad on the over-run. Steering Quite pleasant, light and positive. Brakes Lockheed - required a lot of pressure and not very effective. Handbrake underneath the right-hand bottom corner of the instrument board - very awkward place to reach. Springing This was fair but had a very definite tendency to roll on corners. Body Roomy and quiet but a certain amount of rumble noticeable on cobble stones, apparently coming from the front suspension. Good luggage space in the rear. Windscreen does not open. AUSTIN SALOON - Mileage 70. Engine Very smooth but very dull! No performance figures as the engine was too tight. Ctd:- | ||
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).