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 vehicles and suggestions for product improvement, including engine and supercharger considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\2\ img116 | |
| Date | 26th February 1934 | |
| -2- I suggested the Terraplane 6 with a view to improving our existing products. This car however can be tried and examined any time after April in England, as it will be widely sold, so that if we think it worthwhile we can buy one from Shaw & Kilburn at any future date. I suggest that if an 8 cyl. is brought over from the States it should be a model in all respects to aim at for the 20/25 in the same way that the 16 cyl. Cadillac is for the Phantom. The Terraplane 6 is only an engine and the virtue of this is masked owing to defects in the chassis. Now the best 8 cyl. in the 30-40 HP. class is the Packard at about 2500 s. It is smoother than the Lincoln 12 for 1934 and as smooth as the Cadillac 12, but it has conventional front suspension. In spite of this it rides very well indeed but generally speaking it is not a new design of unit. The coachwork is a good example of quality pressed steel coachwork. If a model is required now I want to bring this. If we can wait, as I imagine we can if we have only just started laying out the engine, the two brand new eights just entering production are the La{L. A. Archer} Salle (none of which have been produced in the factory) a fair sample (i.e. not experimental) of which I have not yet been able to try; and a young Buick of about 240 cu. inch displacement which will be for sale in May. These cars will both be less than £300 here, and therefore far removed from the 20/25 price class, but they will both make us sit up, particularly the Buick from what I hear. On my return to Detroit I should certainly get a fair trial on the La{L. A. Archer} Salle, and possibly on an experimental Buick. I can cable you the result and you can make a decision as to whether you want the car to come back as soon as possible or later. The Graham Supercharger is not nearly as noisy as I expected and I shall bring the Supercharger unit back with me if I can get hold of one. In many ways it seems a better alternative than a high compression ratio, poor slow running engine for the Bentley. Continue to get information re front end drives. Fords say they never have any trouble with the fabric gear and swear by it. I have come to the conclusion that you can use fabric gear or chain with equal success whichever suits your engine lay-out. | ||