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).
Speed tests of a super-charged Alfa Romeo 1750 c.c. at the Milan autostrada in wet conditions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\5\ scan0112 | |
| Date | 1st December 1932 | |
| 84482. [handwritten] To: "Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" Sr6/Crn.I.12.32. Dear "Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}", Re: Speed tests at Milan with Alfa Romeo. For your information, I went down to Milan a few days ago to test out the Marquis of Cholmondeley's 1750 c.c. super-charged, straight eight, Alfa Romeo long type chassis (Touring model). [Handwritten note in right margin: '? can't see right A.B.Price'] The tests were carried out [handwritten 'out' inserted] under extremely bad conditions on the 'autostrada'. It had rained heavily the previous day and poured in torrents when we were actually on test. Very small wings [handwritten above struck-through typed 'wheels'] were fitted to the front wheels. No weight at all on the chassis. Couple of bucket-seats fitted to the chassis. No windscreen. !!! The times in the pouring rain were as follows :- First km. 21.3" i.e. 169 kms. per hour. Second km. 22" i.e. 163.6 " " " Third km. 21.4" i.e. 168 " " " Naturally the kilometers were taken both ways. Acceleration. [underlined] 500 metres standing start through the gears. 22" [Handwritten note in right margin: '(had the soil been dry, this could have been reduced to 20")'] Standing start top gear almost at stalling point to 60 kms per hour on speedometer which was a good 12% fast. 10" Pick-up on top from 1000 revs to 2500 revs. 8" Maximum revs permissable for touring purposes 4900 with Ethyl petrol. Revs. attained during the test when covering the kms. above mentioned. Maximum 5300. There is a very important point in my mind which I think interesting, i.e. in spite of the frightful weather, and the fact that we could hardly see at all, M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Guidotti, their test driver, was lapping the various kms. driving with one hand and a stop watch in the other. This seems to be almost incredible when one remembers that the speed at times was 169 kms an hour, especially so when taking into consideration the exceedingly bad weather. I naturally asked to be allowed to handle the car in order to [struck-through 'to'] "get the idea" !! I very shortly covered the km at 160 per hour with the greatest of ease, and steering [handwritten '-ing' added to 'steer' and an adjacent word is struck through] the car on the wet Autostrada which was one of the simplest of matters. Sincerely yours, [Signature] [Handwritten numbers '60' over '30' in bottom right margin] | ||