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).
Subframe for the L.H. P.II, including vibration issues and a comparison of English and American woodworking.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan163 | |
| Date | 28th July 1930 | |
| COPY OF MEMO. FROM OY. DATED 28.7.30. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Subframe for L.H. P.II. DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}4/M22.7.30 and others. May I suggest that on this subject generally the best plan would seem to be to wait till R.R.A.I. have some results with their various deep-sill ideas rather than attempting to enforce the use of the subframe? The subframe has undoubtedly been a success on the whole, but from R.R.A.I's point of view the question is: "Is it worth £20 cost and 100 lbs. weight?" The subframe has vibration faults of its own due perhaps to general torsional flexibility. Bending flexibility between supports. Local torsional flexibility as a support for pillars. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s tests on 404-MR. appeared to show that the almost complete freedom from jellying on that car (the A.M. P.I) was at least partly due to the method of body-mount. Jellying on P.II's while it has been eliminated from the radiator by the method of mounting has still to be mastered at the source. Is it not possible that the American deep-sill bodies may contribute vitally important information which would help this problem? Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} further contends that wood is an inherently bad material to use and that we have said so. We do not agree with this as a general statement. All we have said is that:- (a) There must be no external wood in the panelling of American bodies because it will not permanently take a high finish. (b) English and European woodwork when exported to a dry climate shrinks and gives all sorts of trouble. It has long been known that European wood wheels cannot be successfully exported to America. English woodwork is naturally "aged" in a moist, equable climate. American woodwork is kiln-dried, which may not be so good for its structure but is better in reducing its moisture content to a practical minimum. Drying out, warping or cracking on the woodwork of Brewster bodies is not one of our troubles at all. | ||