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).
Competitor vehicle chassis, braking, and shock absorber technology from Bugatti, Alfa-Romeo, and Hispano-Suiza.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 152\1\ scan0176 | |
| Date | 7th May 1935 | |
| -2- To "Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} " DERBY PARIS Sr2I/D;7.5.35 I mentioned that the weight of the brake drums was probably one of the reasons why Bugatti is reluctant to thicken up the latter and he said that any gain in braking is bound to outway any dissadvantages due to the extra weight of the thicker drums. Again he stated that during his stay at Alfa-Romeo, it was evident that a rigid chassis with orthodox front and back axles fitted with his shock absorbers, was as near being 100% from a road-holding point of view, as the same chassis, with any other type of Shock Absorber, had serious disadvantages, especially when cornering and one had a tendency to lift one of the wheels off the road. Finally, you will have noted that Wymill, with one of the Grand Prix type BUGATTI, was a very close second to Varzi with an AUTOUNION in the Grand Prix de Tunis, which was won thanks to the speed and acceleration of the latter mentioned car, but it is interesting to note that Wymill with his orthodox Bugatti, fitted with De Ram shock absorbers, was continually gaining on Varzi whenever it was a question of road-holding. Mr. De Ram is certainly a man you must meet when next you come over. He is very interesting to listen to, as he has a vast experience of springing, road-holding, steering, braking effects on front axles etc., having made a speciality of this all his life and consequently his knowledge of these matters is above the average. In conclusion, he would like to fit his type of shock absorbers on the front of my Enclosed-Drive demonstrator B-I-CW, and let me use them as long as I like. What is your idea about this? The trouble is that our car would then no longer be standard. Another, and last point of interest is that Hispano-Suiza sent him their boxed-in chassis on which De Ram was to fit his shock-absorbers, but after keeping it for some time, working out strains, stresses, torsions, etc. on this chassis, he informed Mr. Birkitt that the chassis was bound to break at a certain point. In other words, he rang the alarm bell, of which no heed was taken. Results have proved that he was right, and all the H.S. chassis are breaking at that point. When are you coming over? Cheerio and hoping to see you soon, Yours [Signature] | ||