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).
Modifying the 40/50 model's undershield for mud protection and testing cork covering for floorboards.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\K\December1923\ Scan81 | |
| Date | 12th July 1923 | |
| R.R. 493A (40 H) (SL 42 12-7-23). J.H., D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} EXPERIMENTAL REPORT. Expl. No. 819 REF:Hsl/LGl.12.23. the 40/50 is unnecessarily long as a protection from mud. We cut away the centre of the undershield up to the front end of the gearbox - we carry the sides along to provide sufficient protection for the starter motor and generator. The whole of the underneath of the gearbox is exposed. We also have louvres below the flywheel. These are at an angle to prevent mud getting in. We increase the pitch of the slats in the ventilated side of the engine guard near the engine feet as we found the air piled up there. We have run a car with these modifications over the very worst roads and farm tracks and could find no mud or dirt on any working part, in fact, the protection against mud is as good as standard. We are fixing these undershields on to the EAC-lll cars which will run 10,000 miles. (3) Cork covering for floorboards and dash. Some of the cars we have received complete with bodies for fitting 4-wheel brakes have had loose sheets of agglomerated cork. These sheets are simply laid on the top of the floorboards. Fitting the cork in this way is no use and also is very soon broken to pieces. The cork will not stand handling. We propose carrying out further tests with the cork because so far, after we have correctly fitting floorboards we have [not] found any great advantage as regards reducing the heat. It may have other advantages as regards reducing noise etc. We think it is essential however that the cork should be made to fit each floorboard. It should be cemented firmly to each board and the edges of it should be protected either by a wood or metal strip. The cork covered dashboard is not very convenient to do. We propose contd:- | ||