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).
From Sg. to Rm. detailing a list of performance issues and faults with a car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 109\5\ scan0022 | |
| Date | 21th March 1938 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Sgl4/E21.3.38 - 2 - 4. Accelerator pedal. This is now much more comfortable than when I first had the car, i.e. since we altered it in London but it still is not quite as comfortable as the old car, that is to say, I noticed it whereas on the old car I never did. 5. Starting. This from cold seems pretty good but is very unreliable when hot. 6. Flooding. This occurred to a rather serious extent when the car was standing still on a gradient and must of course be corrected. 7. Firing back. I found that this was definitely bad, i.e. the engine firing backwards when switched off if it had done any serious work just previously but on one or two occasions it did it even when there had been a considerable luffing up period after climbing a hill. 8. Oil consumption. This seemed to be very good as it did not require any during the 650 miles. Kennett says he over-filled it about a pint and that it required about a pint on my return. 9. Springing. I agree with the remarks in paragraphs one and 2 of Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}2/KW28.1.38, i.e. on a secondary road with a wavy and undulating surface with two up and luggage the car seemed to come down on the buffers very easily and I should imagine was what might be described as 'sick-making'. In your Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R3.2.38 you said that you agreed with Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}'s criticisms and hoped to submit a car shortly in which the fault did not exist. I should be glad to know whether WXA-l had the modifications or not. I formed the impression that, if any one had been riding in the back of my car under these conditions, they would have been distinctly uncomfortable. As I do not want to circulate a lot of copies of this memo., will you please let BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} and Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} read this. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||