Analysing a chart from Rolls-Royce of America regarding a proposed 25 HP car engine in comparison to American competitors.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 5a\1\ 01-page091 | |
| Date | 16th March 1931 | |
| SECRET To Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} X5770. Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 2/KT.16.3.31. VIEWS OF R.R. OF AMERICA. Returned with Sg {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} 's copy We have analysed Btn.l. of Feb.19th 1931. We attach a copy of the chart he sent with the position of the proposed new 25 HP. car marked on it fitted with an 18.G.IV. type of body. Briefly, the chart shews the information given in Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 1/AD.18.12.30. in graphical form. For the sake of simplicity we have marked the four figure of merit lines shewn on the chart as A.B.C. & D. {John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Any car that is plotted on line A. {Mr Adams} should have at least 25% better acceleration than a car plotted on line B. A car on line B. at least 16% more acceleration than a car on line C. Put plainly, Burton is saying that the R.R. 1932 model "Japan(Experimental Engine) III" is by reason of its engine size, almost certainly likely to have an inferior performance to the majority of 1931 American cars or else be deficient in maximum speed. The figures he quotes, which are naturally later than those we were able to quote, shews that the process of enlarging engines in America is continuing. For this reason he specifies that the smallest engine he would contemplate is 325 cu.ins or 5.3 litres, our proposed engine size is 272 cu.ins or 4.46 litres. Naturally as long as the Phantom remains our most lucrative model, it may not be policy to put the size of engine that we know is right for performance in to the 25 HP. chassis. It should be noted, however, that all the four chrysler models conform to the same power weight ratio, i.e. if they cannot fit a big engine they will not fit a big body. It should be noted that Btn's request for a 5.3 litre engine for the 25 HP. car cannot be considered ridiculous. as all he wants is the same power weight ratio for the 25 HP. as for the Phantom. With regard to his specification for power, we think that we can do whatever the Americans can do in this respect. Where we may fail is if we try to equal them in power with a smaller unit and yet excell in silence and smoothness. Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm. {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||
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).