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).
Comparing Delco shock absorbers with the company's own, including feedback from road tests on a 25 HP and a Springfield Phantom I.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 28\1\ Scan168 | |
| Date | 1st December 1930 | |
| Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} From HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (In U.S.A.). c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Received 1.12.30. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}-3. 832. SHOCK ABSORBERS. X. 832. X. 7941d. I enclose herewith picture of latest Delco. I will send blue print later when I can get one. You will see that the action of these is similar to our own. I was wrong when I said they were not pressure filled. They have three adjustments the load on the valve spring, the area of the leak, they also shroud the valve which gives a max. orifice which can be adjusted. They have supplied a set to Springfield and the price they charged was 32/- a pair including spring loaded ball end connections in place of the rubber bush type shewn on the picture. They use a cast iron case, cast iron piston, P.B. wearing pads, hardened steel shaft. I am arranging to get a set sent over, only before I do this I propose to visit the factory and get all the dope. I have been about 50 miles today on a 25 HP. fitted with these, they were fitted by the Delco Depot at Boston. R.R. had nothing to do with it. The riding of the car was very good, definitely better than the standard 25 HP. which they have two samples of here. I feel certain that we have got to come to drilled valves, and possibly go back to the dynamic restriction we used originally. This is practically what Delco is doing I believe. The riding of the Springfield Phantom 1 is very good indeed. The seven passenger cars give you equally as nice a ride as the car OY. brought over. (That car is still here, by the way). I had to put my hands up at once when we made comparative tests. 25-EX. car jolts more and you can feel the axle bouncing as though it was not a part of the car. On the Springfield cars you get no impression of an axle and you get a soft ride. We shall let you have more particulars as soon as they are obtained. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||