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).
Letter discussing weight distribution, aerodynamics, and travel arrangements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\1\ Scan062 | |
| Date | 6th December 1931 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/ADL6.12.31 contd. -2- We do not quite follow your anxiety to get the weight equally distributed between the front and rear wheels when braking as we have never found any disadvantage in having 40% on the front wheels and 60% on the rear wheels when the leverages of the system are so adjusted that the loads on the brake shoes are also in this proportion. We should have considered a better argument would have been that the weight distribution was more constant with your type of car because passengers getting in and out of the car do not move the centre of gravity so much as they would were they sitting over the back axle. We are not sure whether you have done any wind tunnel tests showing the stability of the stream lined car at speed, or whether you have any information as to the best arrangement found on the Golden Arrow. For reasons of stability one gets the impression that at maximum speed there may be some disadvantage from having the centre of gravity too far back. Actually, of course, this will be best proved with the car itself. I am sorry, but it does not appear that I shall be able to travel on the Berengaria but shall be crossing a week later on the Homeric which sails on the 13th. I am almost bound to meet you at Detroit, however, if you are likely to be there between the 22nd and 29th January. With kind regards, Yours sincerely, | ||