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).
14,000-mile report on a Cadillac detailing its performance under severe road and weather conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0202 | |
| Date | 5th March 1935 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From He/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} c. to WoF. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to SF. c. to MX.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} X1729 14,000 MILES REPORT ON CADILLAC. 85% of the mileage with this car was run under bad conditions, rough roads, severe storms, air temperatures below zero. Each day the chassis and body were coated with thick sludge. The engine was covered with sludge, and grit was flung on to the top of the cylinders. High average speeds were maintained over bad road surfaces. Under these conditions the riding and steering qualities were maintained throughout. At a mileage of 11,700 the near side stabiliser arm broke off close to the control rod. The breakage affected the finer riding qualities in the rear seats. It was inclined to float with the periodicity of the road springs when travelling over certain wavy conditions of the road. The rear axle road holding qualities were affected. This was noticeable when cornering on rough surfaces and when braking. A dither of the rear axle was set up. BODY. It is the first time during 10,000 miles tests that we have had a body to remain free from rattles, doors dropping, windows jamming, rear and front wings cracking or working loose, and to remain weather proof. Whereas previously 5 to 10 hours per week have been spent in patching up wings, cutting out rattles, etc., no time has been spent on the Cadillac body throughout the total mileage. The only deterioration throughout the mileage was a cracking of the paintwork at the joints of the bumper bar to the front wings, and a small crack in the beading of the o.s. front wing. SPARE WHEELS. We had a failure of the set screws holding the spare wheel brackets to the frame. These set screws were 3/8" Whitworth with a locking washer under the head. The coarse thread allowed them to stretch, once they had become loose we could not keep them tight. We replaced them with 1/2" R.R. set screws and had no further trouble. | ||