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).
Unpleasant noise in car 12-AU (40/50 HP landaulet) and the strategy to investigate and resolve the issue.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 72\4\ scan0254 | |
| Date | 12th December 1924 | |
| Handwritten: X9770 Handwritten: W.H. -> To MR [crossed out] . from BJ. Copies to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} P.N. C.W.D. IMS. (for C.S.C. To inform complete car testers). Re Car No. 12-AU. With reference to our run in 12-AU (our 40/50 h.p. landaulet built by Barkers), which we tried yesterday morning, and which I understand you have taken back to Derby, there is a most unpleasant noise at certain speeds, apparently about 20 - 28 m.p.h. in particular, and cars which have this noise are certainly not good examples of Rolls-Royce, and are likely to cause complaints. I am sending a copy of this memo. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, asking him immediately to put in hand any experiments he possibly can to ascertain the cause of this noise and how it can best be overcome in future chassis, and especially avoided in any further series of chassis. I understand that you will explain to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} all you know about it and what you consider may be the cause or the remedy. Under the unfortunate circumstances we are apparently faced with the possibility of some considerable delay whilst these experiments are being made, to ascertain the cause and cure, and you have a large number of chassis held up which you have not passed because of this noise. It is agreed that these chassis shall be released, provided you do not consider they are worse than 12-AU, and when we finally test the cars with bodies, if we find any are particularly noisy, we must prevent their being delivered, as we must send such cars back to the Works for them to overcome the noise. We cannot at the present juncture hold up a large number of chassis to overcome this noise in all of them. We sincerely hope that a cure will very soon be found. B.J. [Stamp: RECEIVED ... DEC 1924] | ||