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).
Trial of a 20/60 Vauxhall, analyzing modifications made to eliminate radiator wobble and improve engine smoothness.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\U\2January1930-September1930\ Scan019 | |
| Date | 27th January 1930 | |
| HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} FROM E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} R.{Sir Henry Royce} (held up) C. to WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} DY.{F R Danby} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} ORIGINAL E2/M27.1.30. x7250 x3995. x H57. re. RADIATOR WOBBLE AND ENGINE SMOOTHNESS. Yesterday (Sunday) I made a short trial of the latest 20/60 Vauxhall. You will remember that on my car there is a radiator movement verging on the periodic, a phenomenon with which we are somewhat familiar. This has been, so far as my test run shewed, entirely eliminated, and the radiator rides absolutely dead and steady. The difference is most pronounced. The alterations which have been made on the new model consist of a general stiffening of the frame with particular attention to the front end, longer and more flexible road springs, and the use of Lovejoy hydraulic dampers in place of Hartford. The frame side channels are of deeper section and heavier gauge, and a very large tubular cross member has been added between the front dumb irons. The cross members generally I understand have been stiffened up, but, on the other hand, the engine is now mounted on rubber instead of being rigid. The engine mounting itself, consisting of two arms at the rear, and the front end of the crankcase bolted to a cross member, (somewhat like the Chrysler), is otherwise unaltered. The engine was very smooth up to its maximum revs. which gave 70 MPH. (speedometer reading) on top, and 50 MPH. (speedometer) on 3rd., with no noticeable periods on drive or over-run. The acceleration however was not wonderful. The history of the 20/60 Vauxhall is that when it was first built a comparatively light frame was used with the idea that extra stiffness would be provided by the body, on the American principle. It was found however that the front end of the frame was too flexible and it was almost impossible to keep the front axle quiet, no doubt due to the weight of this unit and the non-damping nature of the tyres then being used. Since then various alterations have been made to the steering, such as friction loading on balls, Fort tyres have been standardised, Smith single acting dampers replaced by Hartford, and iron casing in place of aluminium for the Marles steering box, the net result being quite a nice car, but still too much radiator movement, as when you tried my car. It is significant that this radiator movement has now been apparently eliminated by attention to frame rigidity, at the same time dismissing any help from the engine except as regards some possible damping from the rubber mounting. It is true that the front spring shackles have been moved from the front to the rear end of the springs, but this has possibly been done to get sufficient depth in the front dumb iron sections to carry the large tubular cross member aforementioned both structurally and for uniform rigidity. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||