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 to Cadillac regarding vehicle suspension and engine issues during testing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img236 | |
| Date | 15th January 1935 | |
| Exptl. Dept. He/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/KC. 15th January, 1935. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley, Esq., c/o.{Mr Oldham} The Cadillac Motor Car Co., Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Dear Cy, Lovesey and Ellor should now be in America, and will probably have seen you by the time this gets to Detroit. We are still in a complete jamb with the passengers being thrown off the rear seats. We have a bridge where we can kill the average old lady at 25 m.p.h. The inertia shock absorbers improve the situation, but they either won't work over the bridge or if they do work under these conditions they seem to be in action all the time and spoil the ride on pave etc. The accelerations we measure over hump-backed bridges indicate that this will be so. Having copied your suspension in much the same way as the Italians copied the Packard, we naturally feel very aggrieved when we get any troubles! Seriously though, can you tell me anything ? If you can give Lovesey a demonstration of any cure we shall be more than grateful. The Cadillac big ends are beginning to pass out and the gudgeon pins and bushes fail with regularity. We will let you have our complete report, however, at the end of 15,000 miles. The suspension continues to give complete satisfaction on French pave roads, and the steering remains entirely free from road shocks but is just about 50% too low geared for the highly cambered Continental roads. | ||