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).
Vehicle's road and track test, detailing performance, mechanical failures, and observations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 155\1\ scan0122 | |
| Date | 1st November 1933 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Weybridge 1.11.33. 4.B.IV. We ran the car on the road from 5 o'clock to 8 o'clock covering a mileage of 135 at an average speed of 43.7 m.p.h. The car then proceeded to the track and ran the usual two laps full throttle then decelerated to 30 m.p.h. The high high wind helped us later to keep the oil cooler and three laps at full throttle were ran before decelerating. The car ran very well up to noon, then the half crankshaft period became noticeable and quickly became very bad. A very bad knock developed in the front so we left the track and brought the car up to the Hotel Garage. Upon dismantling the timing case and half the slipper wheel we discovered the spring drive plate had broken across all four sections. We are therefore held up until new parts arrive. There was no loss of valve clearance during the previous day's mileage evidently the lost clearance reported was due to new valves bedding themselves down. Total mileage of car 1504. Total ontrack. 972. Day's mileage on track 482. Average oil temp. 101.8°C. " water temp. 71.4°C. " air temp. 10.8°C. " petrol cons. on track 10.48 m.p.g. " oil " " " " 296.6 m.p.g. Maximum speed half mile 83.72 m.p.h. " " " " 84.11 m.p.h. Standing start through gears to 80 m.p.h. 27.8 secs. The radiator shutters do not operate correctly as there is not sufficient clearance in the thermostat housing for the full movement of the thermostat consequently either the shutters will not fully open or set the other way will not fully close. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} | ||