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).
Private memo discussing the design and aerodynamic testing of a new streamline car, focusing on radiator height.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161\1\ scan0067 | |
| Date | 2nd December 1937 | |
| PRIVATE. 1380 W/P. Sr. from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/R.2.12.37. STREAMLINE CAR. I understand that you are now going to be allowed to make this, as per your last memo to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}, and we are supplying you with the correct axle ratio. If you are going to make the car with the radiator in the present standard height, I would recommend that you carry out a wind tunnel test on it in this condition before you construct the car. I am particularly anxious that you should not spend a lot of time and energy on a full scale job and then find you do not get the required results. If you find that the lower radiator is imperative I do not think it would stop your customer buying the necessary radiator matrix from John Marston. As far as that goes, there are many manufacturers in France who can alter a standard radiator. I do hope, however, that you will find results are maintained in spite of the increased height of the front of the car. You will have seen from the figures which I asked Evenden to prepare that your body, as originally planned, is equivalent in the acceleration which it produces to halving the weight of the car @ 60 m.p.h. I am, therefore, more than interested in the final results which you obtain. I shall be circulating a memo on the general aspect of reduced windage in the immediate future. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||