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).
Letter to Sir Dennis Burney discussing the steering, silencing, and suspension of streamlined cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\1\ Scan061 | |
| Date | 16th December 1931 | |
| Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/AD. December 16th, 1931. Sir Dennis Burney, Bart. Broadway Court, 8, Broadway, Westminster. Dear Sir Dennis, Thank you for your letter of the 14th. Hives is away at present but I have read your paper with considerable interest. There appear to be three points in connection with stream lined cars which are worthy of mention. (1) Steering. On the stream lined you bring the rigidity of the body far closer to the front of the frame than could be arranged with a conventional car with a 6 cylinder or 8 cylinder engine. With up-to-date rubber engine mountings the engine cannot be used to strengthen the frame torsionally to any great extent. Due to the fact that the front wheels can turn for steering purposes, they produce gyrostatic couples which are one of the most difficult things to control on the car. We think that bringing the rigidity and the inertia of the body closer to the front wheels will help in making good steering. (2) Silencing. We think that a number of advantages can be claimed for not having to carry the exhaust system under the passengers. (3) Suspension. We think that you should definitely ascertain what initial deflection you have on your road springs. If you find that, with your very considerable longitudinal moment of inertia, you can give a good ride with 4" deflection of the rear springs, you have made the independent rear wheel drive a much easier proposition than it would be in the conventional car which requires some 8 or 9" initial deflection to get rid of pitching. | ||