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).
Notes on a test drive of the new Talbot 90 Long Chassis, considered a potential competitor.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0107 | |
Date | 9th October 1930 | |
X3531 (S3/1630) PN.{Mr Northey}..from Bt.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} Copy to C. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} for your interest PN{Mr Northey} 1/10 Bt{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer}2/GD9.10.30. (Dictated 8.10.30). Notes on the new Talbot 90 Long Chassis which was placed on the Market 10 days ago. ------------------------------------------------- Through the courtesy of Capt. Eric Burt and the Representative of Messrs. Vanden Plas, I was able to take a run yesterday evening on the new Talbot production. This is a 2 1/4 litre car with, I think, a 10' 6" wheel base. It has an exceptionally fine performance, and excepting for its price, might almost be considered as a possible competitor of our 25 h.p. Engine. I was informed that this car, which has a capacity of 2 1/4 litres has a compression ratio of 5 1/2 to 1. It is exceptionally smooth running throughout the range of the higher speeds. It is apparently quite happy and comfortable revving at 4,500, which corresponds to a road speed of 90 on top, 69 on 3rd. and 48 on 2nd. Many of these particulars will be available in an article which is being written by S.C.Davis, and will appear in the "Motor" before the Show. When idling the engine ran smoothly with little vibration, though there is a certain amount of tappet noise which would not be tolerated on one of our cars, on the other hand, I think it is quite likely that this was a matter of faulty adjustment rather than faulty design. The timing gears were very silent for an engine of this type. The exhaust was very quiet, and not at all such as one associates with a sports car. Gear Box. Four speeds, exceptionally quiet on the indirect gears for a car of this price, in fact it might be said to approximate to our standard. Back axle. This was not at any time aggressive, and I found that one had to listen very intently to hear anything of it at all, such noise as there was being masked by that of the tyres. Springing. Very good at speeds over 40 m.p.h., slightly rough at slower speeds, but not nearly so rough as for instance the Three Litre Sunbeam. Steering. It was claimed that the car demonstrated was not yet a fair example, being in fact sufficiently stiff for the wheel not to be self centring. Brakes. They seemed to be exceptionally powerful. They are of the self energizing shoe type, and I understand that a good deal larger portion of the braking is taken by the front wheels than in the case of our cars. There was on this particular car a very slight tendency for the steering to pull to the left when the brakes were applied hard. | ||