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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).
Commentary on PN's car, comparing its engine, steering, clutch, and brakes with other models.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 73\3\  scan0388
Date  9th February 1924
  
COPY.

La{L. A. Archer} Villa Mimosa,
Le CanadelHenry Royce's French residence,
Par Le Lavandou,
Var.
France.

Re PN{Mr Northey}'s Car.
Not much value now
Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} has reported to you.

9/2/24

My dear CJ.,

You very kindly sent me PN{Mr Northey}'s letters I think it requires some slight modifications or explanations.

Engine. If this is in good condition and is like the one I saw the pick up, vigour and speed is better than any car I have handled, our own and Hispano included & equal to Hawk. But he may be decieved by two things, the roads of France would make one think the car was not the same machine and possibly the detonations with French petrol spoil it, I regret Derby fitted it with high compression pistons especially as this engine fills up better than the 40/50 but the compression ratio is not excessive & Salamanca and others used to be always asking for more compression.

Steering. I do not know the exact details of this but we found the Hispano was almost exactly like ours and seemed as though they had copied our virtues and sins. We have been trying to get something better, i.e. less sloppy control of the road wheels, and some of the flexibility in the longitudinal rod may have been taken away, these are details we leave to Derby to find what is best. (There is nothing seriously different.)

Clutch. This I thought quite a great improvement on our old 40/50 but PN{Mr Northey} has got used to the old one (which to me is not free enough when out) and at present prefers a clutch with a brake to stop it. Ours was necessary on the old car, but was generally too vigorous for me and I believe was the chief cause of our change gear being thought difficult, modern clutches are usually single plate like EAC or multiple plate like most of the Americans. Hispano is like ours, no one that I know of fits a clutch brake at present. Multiple plate is the best for changing, but is somewhat jingles when out after a time and does not take up as smoothly as Goshawk and other single plate ones.

Brakes. I advised that they did not seem good enough for PN{Mr Northey} to have but should have altered this at the last moment to letting him have them the best we know i.e. the metal liners for the servo (I now conclude we have learnt that nonconducting liners - (Ferodo) are only suitable for internal brakes i.e. with external drums).
  
  


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