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).
Road test report and feedback on a vehicle's performance improvements following work at the Derby factory.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\3\ Scan003 | |
| Date | 10th October 1929 | |
| S/W. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Worr..from PN.{Mr Northey} Copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} MP Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} PN.{Mr Northey}5/WT10.10.29. 1-WJ. In view of the special efforts which you and all concerned have made to improve this car in every possible way during the short time you had it back at Derby, I made a point of driving it myself on Thursday afternoon last from Calais to Paris, in order to be able to better appreciate how far success had been attained in improving this car. I am very glad to be able to report that my impression was altogether a happier one, for the car now should be able to give an excellent account to anyone riding in it, however reasonably critical. The gearbox was considerably improved, the tendency to detonate on magneto ignition when slowly accelerating was greatly reduced, and the general engine characteristics in respect of picking up roughness did not appear to be sufficiently pronounced to cause any serious worry, although of course this engine is not anywhere near as delightful to handle as 18-EX. The steering also can be described as good, but I think it is undoubtedly a matter of congratulation that you were able to improve this car sufficiently in the time for it to be effective in connection with our demonstration work in London and Paris immediately. I am well aware that at the present early stages of production of this new model we must not expect to find more than a certain amount of consistency in results - that is, one must reasonably expect a wider variation in perhaps performance and functioning of parts at the present time than we need expect to experience later on. There is one point however I am most anxious that we shall get into agreement over and that is the essential point arising out of steering mechanism and control. No factor of a car can so much influence the degree of comfort (quite apart from safety) of the driver as the effectiveness of steering control. I am fully convinced that without making any material modification in design whatever you are fully able to turn out an extremely good, easy and selective steering, one which at the same time is not unduly sensitive to road-shocks. You have done this on certain cars which stick chiefly in my mind, such as 21-EX and 27-WJ, but in other cases I have found that cars, whilst being entirely nice to steer at ordinary speeds on decent roads become unselective or unduly sensitive to road-shocks to the driver's hands. | ||