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 providing advice and observations on preparing for the Le Mans race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\4\ Scan044 | |
| Date | 16th March 1936 | |
| Sr3/ET.16.3.36 - 4 - I will not mention clutch trouble, which is particularly prominent at Le Mans, and the gear box which suffers severely if the race is a real tussle. Oil gauges have been known to give up the ghost for unknown reasons and, if there is not a spare on board, the driver is always handicapped. Do not forget that, unlike most races, one has got to run and jump into the vehicle at the start. Therefore, access to the wheel must not be too difficult. E.R. Hall, who likes attending to everything himself, should practise jumping into his car and getting away. The best way to do this is as follows: Put the car into first, release hand brake. At Le Mans, one always places a small stone behind the rear wheel to counteract the camber. Put on switch, jump into the car and press the starter motor button, having previously let out the clutch. By this means, one gets away in a second. If one has got to switch on the engine, release hand brake, get into gear etc.., one is the last off. Incidentally, one should adopt the latter method, but of course nobody ever does. Finally, there is only one way to beat Le Mans, and that is to have a car that cruises down the straight at close on 200 Kms. an hour, thus enabling the driver to take it easy through the remainder of the track. If you have to bat your gears and fight your way all round the SS{S. Smith}'s, etc.. and then blind all out down the straight, it is very rare that the car ever goes for more than 8 hours. This information was my own experience and has been corroborated by Geo Lefèvre, René Faroux and Monsieur Rousseau, who are all friends of mine and are Officials of the race. Petrol lead pipes should be very carefully installed and plenty of supple joints should be incorporated. You should also carry many lengths of rubber piping and means of fixing them to broken petrol pipes, etc.. Shock absorbers fall off, but I do not suppose this will be the casé with your car. I will not worry you with any more for the moment, but, when you have read the regulations Geo Lefèvre is preparing for you, you will then probably have a lot of questions to ask me, to which I will reply by return. Yours sincerely, Sr. St/cny | ||