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).
Performance comparison between the Peregrine engine and a Lanchester car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 1\8\ B001_X100 Engine Chassis-page199 | |
| Date | 7th July 1932 | |
| R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to SS.{S. Smith} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to Ey. c. to DS. c. to Ndy. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}9/HA.7.7.32. COMPARISON OF PEREGRINE AND LANCHESTER. We have had the Lanchester on the test bed with the fluid flywheel eliminated. They have a most peculiar camshaft full particulars of which we will let you have later. It is sufficient to observe that they have to run at .030 tappet clearance to get low speed torque and in doing so drop 10 B.H.P. at the top. The valve gear is hopelessly noisy with the recommended .030" tappet clearance. Curve Bu.Pr XI shews the power output which agrees closely with the claimed maximum of 55. Curve Ra Pr.12 shews the best results we have so far obtained on Peregrine compared with the Lanchester. It will be noticed that it has a better low speed M.E.P. than Peregrine but at top speeds we get 33% more power with a 5 1/2% smaller engine. Curve Ra Pr.13 shews the latest 25 H.P. car compared with Peregrine and the Lanchester. From this we should expect Peregrine to have inferior acceleration to the 20/25 up to 45 M.P.H. on top gear but a better maximum speed. We ought, however, to equal the Lanchester acceleration. We will take the Lanchester on the track as soon as it is re-built as the windage must be low if the car can attain 70 M.P.H. with 55 B.H.P. We should certainly expect Peregrine to do about 90 M.P.H. with an open 4 seater body of the speed twenty Alvis type and a free exhaust. It is not the top speed, but the low speed pulling performance, that we are at present trying to improve on this car. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} | ||