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).
Issues with Delco coils on Wraith cars during hot weather testing and the plan to find a replacement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 164\5\ img388 | |
| Date | 15th August 1938 | |
| RC{R. Childs} 6017. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/R.15.8.38. WRAITH COILS. During the recent warm weather we have been subjecting our Wraith cars to some fairly severe treatment, including lapping at Brooklands, and we have experienced trouble with three Delco coils. The evidence so far points to this being due to high temperature. It will be remembered that the Delco coil was chosen because it had proved complete-ly reliable under the atmospheric conditions encountered up to the time the decision was made, and also owing to its high output, permitted the most satisfactory start with .030 plug gaps, which we have found to be desirable on the Wraith in order to give a satisfactory start under cold conditions. We have told Delcos that, under the circumstances, the coils are no good to us, and they have agreed that they can use them up on Talbots. The present position, therefore is that we have got to find the most satisfactory coil for all-round con-ditions from the three possible sources of supply, namely, Rolls-Royce, Delco and Lucas. Since we can reproduce cold starting at will, owing to the cold chamber, and the hot weather conditions which exist in the country at present, we hope to be able to come to some decision within the next fortnight. We do not anticipate any difficulty in supplying coils by the time the production series of Wraith come on test. In the meantime, the existing supply of Delco coils can be used for unit tests. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||