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).
Test report on the 6-cylinder Lorraine car that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 22\4\ Scan041 | |
| Date | 10th September 1926 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to BJ. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} X3588 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/LG10.9.26. 24 HRS. LE MANS - LORRAINE CAR. 6 cyl. Dual battery ignition. 75 X 130 (3447 c.c.) Canti-lever rear springs. The test of this car was conducted with 3 passengers. The car tried weighed 33 cwts. without passengers. We were rather surprised at this and queried the weight which was confirmed verbally. The car was in exactly the same condition in which it finished the 24 hrs. at Le Mans i.e., with a sporting type body having a tail in which was carried the spare wheel. The explanation of the weight was that all the parts were made extra strong for the race, the tank held 80 litres of petrol and two complete batteries were fitted. The rear axle ratio was about 3.5 to 1. ENGINE. This was undoubtedly the best feature on the car. It has over-head valve, push rod operated with dual ignition, one plug being fitted each side of the cylinder head and a skew shaft distributor drive as in the Hispano. Two Zenith carburetters were employed. It was quite impossible to determine the mechanical noise emanating from the engine owing to the open exhaust, likewise the exact amount of detonation was a matter of conjecture. However the car we tried pulled smoothly from 7 to 80 m.p.h. on top gear on ordinary French petrol. Low speed torque and carburation were peculiarly good, and it could be driven in top gear in traffic without resorting to the gear lever. contd:- | ||