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).
The 'Goshawk II' vehicle, detailing mileage, a broken spring, and overheating issues during a hill climb.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 46\2\ Scan319 | |
| Date | 8th June 1922 | |
| COPY. Hotel Les Aiguieres, 198, Cours Jean Jaures, GRENOBLE. ISERE. June 8th 1922. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Hy. {Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} RE GOSHAWK II. We left Laval on Monday the 5th June. I think we have found the right accommodation now at the above address. It is a quiet sort of place outside Grenoble octroi about 2 kilometres, and has a nicely hidden little garage. The mileage of the car since last report is as follows :- On June 5th. 223 miles. " " 6th. 208 " " " 7th. 67 " Total. 498 " Previous mileage. 11184 Total since leaving Derby. 11682 miles. Yesterday the 7th June, we broke the top plate of the near side front spring a few inches behind the spring clips. This is now being changed and we have now no spare front spring plates left. Will you please send on a supply if you have not already done so. Also send supply of centre bolts (long ones) screwed far enough up to suit any thickness of spring we might have. On June 7th, the morning after arriving at Grenoble, we started out to go for a run towards Gap on route N85 but did not get further than 22 kilometres as we were troubled with water boiling on the first long hill we came to. The hill in question starts about 18 kilometres out and second gear was necessary all the way. We climbed for 2 miles in 4 1/2 minutes and had then to stop as the water was boiling. We had to remove the radiator cap to relieve the steam pressure which appeared to be very high (Do you think the overflow pipe is big enough ?) The weather was blazing hot at the time. The water lost in the 2 miles due to boiling was 12 pints. We filled up again and proceeded further up the hill but had to return as the water boiled again very soon and none was available for replacement. We returned to the 2 mile mark, filled up with cold water and went to the bottom of the hill and repeated the test starting with a full radiator and water temperature of 50oC and the results were practically the same. The amount of rise in the two miles was 825 feet. Contd. | ||