Potential improvements for the 1932 production model, focusing on engine power, weight, and performance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\1\ 01-page093 | |
| Date | 19th February 1931 guessed | |
| - 2 - 1931 production - I do not know what 1932 has to bring forth but would hazard a guess that it will bring a still further reduction in the weight displacement ratio. It occurs to me that the obvious solution of this problem, considering the short time available, is to do what everybody else, including Rolls Royce in the case of the Eagle(Aero Engine) Aero engine, has done - to increase the power only and retain all the other units unchanged. To do this would use an engine 3 5/8 x 5 1/4 or 3 1/2 x 5 5/8 with the present axles, steering, gearbox, clutch, and as many of the engine parts as possible, such as valve gear, front end gears, ignition controls, etc. as at present. Probably a new carburetter and water pump and improved radiator would be essential. The crankcase and cylinder could be cast in one piece in nickel cast iron. By this, means not only an appreciable saving in cost, but also in weight would be possible. As regards the crank, I believe we should use the extra space we have to stiffen the webs and get the increased bearing surface by increasing the diameter of the journals and pins. With this consequent increase in stiffness, both of crank and case, the work of the slipper would be appreciably reduced and this might be replaced by something like the General Motors' harmonic balancer - a flywheel mounted on a spring on the crankshaft and tuned to the critical frequency of the crank. This feature has no friction surfaces to give trouble - the one used on Chevrolet costs just ten cents, and does the job. Such a car when completed and loaded up to about 4400 lbs. with body and passengers should be capable of giving: (a) An acceleration from 10 - 50 m.p.h. in 18 seconds or better. (b) A maintained speed along the level of 75 m.p.h. This would show up well for performance when compared with the regular line of 1931 cars now offered for sale. RHB/VB Encl.1 Btn. | ||
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).