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).
Road test report from France comparing the performance of controllable dampers on various road conditions.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\2\ scan0097 | |
Date | 20th July 1934 | |
Handwritten notes: G.W.H. apparently expects too much from controllable dampers x45539 Independent suspension is not included. les as Sr. was delighted with the original controllable dampers on 19FX. he should be able to notice an improvement in 4BIV. Typed document: To H.S. From G.W.H. Hotel de France, Chateauroux. Indre. France. 20th July 1934. I went up to Paris with 4B IV on Wednesday night taking with me four 6 x 18 Dunlop Silent Tread tyres. While going up to Paris the front tyres were reduced to 30 lbs. pressure which gave us a little improvement on the rough roads and pavé in the hardness of riding, using minimum control. The whole of Thursday was utilised along with Sr. in trying out the car. I particularly wanted Sr.'s opinion of the riding of the car and of the effect of the damper control. It is totally different over here to what is obtained in England. The route taken was: Paris, St.{Capt. P. R. Strong} Germain, Evreux, Deauville and return; then all round Versailles on pavé, equal to the pavé round Brussels. The route to Deauville is the one which gives the finest all round conditions, and in places is one on which few cars can keep the road maintaining 90 MPH. Sr. admitted that 4 B IV held the road better than their trial car using the maximum control, but very definately said that with less control the car would be unstable. In criticising the damper control, Sr. came to the same opinion that I had formed, but on which I wanted an unbiased opinion before reporting. 1. The controlled dampers for continental work are of very little value with the present condition of the front of the car. 2. They do not give soft riding other than on roads like the main roads in Paris. 3. They make the car positively dangerous if the minimum control is being used at medium speeds and the brakes are applied suddenly, the front of the car is out of control. | ||