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).
Automotive design trends, aerodynamics, and passenger placement.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img152 | |
| Date | 17th June 1933 guessed | |
| 4 and that overdoing the thing which gives the worst results will generally effect a cure. Parasite wind resistance is being held down. See this year's Studebaker with the slot between fender & hood almost eliminated. Air speeds here we find 30% above travelling speed. Built in horns and a similar lamp treatment to Pierce Arrow seem on the way. Forward grilles like Pontiac if not unduly obstructed and if carried well forward reduce wind resistance by forcing more air through a given radiator. The dimension from front wheels to windshield is being reduced, not so much to prevent fendershake as to get rear passengers backs in line with the rear wheels and avoid the hellish overhang that spoilt our lines. Horns are going boldly forward to fill up the useless box-canyon between the front horns. Starting handles will be gone I think by next year. More efficient use of wheelbase and better placing of passengers on the wheelbase are dominant ideas. It does not follow that the passenger-group ought to be central on the wheelbase, as on Burney's car, as if so on the shorter cars, the front passenger's & driver may be disturbed by lateral accelerations in cornering. After consideration the fault with rear engines seems the overloaded rear tires. The c.g. almost | ||