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).
Observations on Hispano-Suiza engine design, manufacturing techniques, and car production.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\December1930-February1931\ Scan040 | |
| Date | 20th December 1930 | |
| -10- HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/ACL.1/ML.20.12.30.Contd. Hispano pistons are not forgings but die cast. They nitro harden a great number of their parts including crankshafts and camshafts. They claim excellent results in service with the nitro parts. The white metal of their main and big end bearings is much thicker than ours. Six Hispano-Solex carburettors are used on the outside of the Vee and the body round the throttle is exhaust heated. Exhaust gas is supplied through a port in the cylinder head leading from the exhaust port and a short pipe from the carburetter jacket discharges into the atmosphere. This hot spot appears very efficient. An engine which was running on the test bed the hot spot was too hot to touch - about the temp. of our car (Phantom 1) hot spots. The distribution appeared excellent and at full load the engines were practically vibrationless. Acceleration also appeared very good. All their production test beds were side by side in one long test house open at one side. The complete engine is a very nice job and of very neat and high finished appearance. All the ignition wires are carried in metal conduits which are carried right up to the magnetos. The mags. have all the wires coming out close together - something like our battery ignition head - and completely encased in a common metal cover joined to the conduits. The only exposed wires are just a few inches where they extend to the spark plugs - these are braided. This results in very neat appearance and must serve as a good protection against water. The spark plug terminals are of a neat clip-on type, quite easily detached and secure. For gear grinding Hispanos use the Maag gear grinder and swear by the result from these machines. I believe we have used them with not such success. Hispano Cars. Hispanos are not making many cars at the moment as most of their energies are expended on aero work. An interesting feature was noted on the cylinder block construction of the car engine which is similar to the aero block construction. The bridge pieces in the block are rather thin and they have apparently experienced trouble with breakage consequently have stiffened these bridges | ||