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).
53,000-mile endurance test of car model 30.G.VII, detailing performance and component failures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 144\4\ scan0124 | |
| Date | 11th September 1940 | |
| Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} file 30.G.VII Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}8/ML.11.9.40. re 30.G.VII. We are asking you to try this car after 53,000 miles running. Half this mileage was run in France at high average speeds and included Alpine and autostrada work. The car did 10,000 miles more of this high speed work than any of our previous prototypes. For the other half of the test the car was used as a 'bus between Derby and Belper, often with eight or nine persons on board. We attach a chart which indicates that this 'bus work means 22 stops and 112 gearchanges in one round trip to Belper. In other words, it is an exceptionally severe test for clutch and transmission. 23,000 miles of this work must represent more traffic driving than 90% of the average Rolls Royce cars get in five years. SPECIFICATION. 30.G.VII is, of course, built up from a set of rationalised parts. Being the largest car in the range, with the biggest engine, it naturally imposed the greatest stress on these parts. In other words, we should expect any other car in the range to have greater durability than this P.III replacement. GEARBOX. At 50,000 miles, the gear-box was changed. Teeth and change speed dogs had failed. You will recollect that in Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}3/R.11.7.39. page 4, before this test commenced, we pointed out that this gearbox would not be reliable with the 8-cylinder engine. - Continued - | ||