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).
Report comparing a 16-cylinder Cadillac to the American and English Phantom I, detailing a visit to the Cadillac factory.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0051 | |
| Date | 1st July 1930 | |
| To H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Sp{Mr Spinney}15/El.7.30 - E - this nature is going to become shortly imperative for us to have available to offer. The springing did not strike us as being particularly good - in fact we came to the conclusion that it was not so good as the American Phantom I which as mentioned in my other report is definitely better than the English Phantom I ever was. I do not say this from trying justone car but was driven considerable distances in 5 or 6 American made Phantom I cars over all types of roads and at varying speeds up to 80 miles an hour. The valve mechanism on this 16-cylinder Cadillac was very quiet indeed. Mr.Fisher, the President of the Company, with whom we had an interview on my subsequent visit to Detroit, explained that this had been their main trouble as once they launched out into an overhead valve engine with 32 valves, they knew that they were tackling a very difficult problem. They have, I understand, been at work on this matter for some number of years. As is usual in America, they were ready to show us anything we wished, and as we were very pressed for time, I asked to be allowed to see the department in which the engines were assembled. One of the features is a double valve spring which they say they found necessary in order to obviate valve "flutter". The representative who took us into the Works showed us the valve mechanism in full detail and I enclose one of their booklets which illustrates this mechanism fairly clearly. I understand that the brother of the gentleman who owned the car that we tried has a brother in England who is Managing Director of the Berger Paint Company and he also owns a 16-cylinder Cadillac. He promised to write to him with a view to arranging for us to be allowed to see and try the car, and I should imagine that our technical people would like to avail themselves of this offer. When I was on the way from Detroit to Chicago by road we | ||