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).
Article from 'The Autocar' magazine detailing the Royal Automobile Club's 1,000 Miles Road Trial of the 1914 Cadillac.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0001 | |
| Date | 25th October 1913 | |
| R.R. 235A (150 H) (S.A. 301. 19-2-15) G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 0950. 798 THE AUTOCAR, October 25th, 1913. X 1729. Royal Automobile Club Trials. The Latest Model Cadillac; THE following certificate of performance has been issued by the R.A.C. in connection with a 1,000 miles trial of a 1914 model Cadillac car from September 30th to October 8th, 1913. The car was entered by Messrs. F.{Mr Friese} S. Bennett, Ltd., of 219-229, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C. PARTICULARS OF CAR.—Bore and stroke of engine, 4 1/2in. by 5 3/4in. (114 x 147 mm.); number of cylinders, 4; weight of car, front axle 1,777 lb., back axle 2,631 lb.; total weight of car, 4,408 lb. (39 1/4 cwt. approx.); weight of load, 479 lb.; total running weight of car, 4,887 lb. (43 3/4 cwt. approx.); type of body, open touring; gear ratios—high gear bevel 2.5 to 1, low gear bevel 3.65 to 1; size of tyres, 880 mm. x 120 mm.; engine revolutions at 20 m.p.h., high gear bevel 486 r.p.m.; engine revolutions at 20 m.p.h., low gear bevel 711 r.p.m.; country of origin, United States of America; weather during trial, fine to fair. The car was fitted with a combined system of electric starting, lighting and ignition, and had two gear ratios provided in the back axle (by means of two direct-driving bevel wheels). The behaviour of these features was specially observed. PERFORMANCE OF CAR.—The trial was held over the six standard routes of the Club, 1,000.4 miles being covered at an average speed (running time only) of 19.5 miles per hour. The fuel consumption for this distance was at the rate of 17.17 miles per gallon, or 37.46 ton miles per gallon, while 7.4 pints of lubricating oil were used. During the trial there was one stop of twenty-four and a half minutes caused by the engine losing all its water by leakage through the circulating pump rear gland, which was loose. Owing to the impossibility of measuring the water used no record of the road water consumption cannot be given. ELECTRIC STARTER.—During the trial the engine was started by the starter a hundred and thirty times, the longest interval between the stopping and the starting of the engine being 37h. 3m. On the first day the engine failed to start twice. It was found that one cell of the battery was faulty, and subsequent examination showed that a celluloid separator between two of the plates had been omitted. At the end of the day's run the battery was replaced by another. On six occasions the first depression of the pedal actuating the starting mechanism was ineffective, starting taking place on the second depression. At the end of the road trial the engine was revolved by the starter continuously for 6m. 21s., 348 revolutions (796 compression strokes) being made. The starter then ceased to turn the engine, the voltage of the battery having fallen from 6.3 to 6.1 during the test. The battery was allowed to rest for fourteen minutes, when the test was repeated, the starter driving the engine for 58s. (156 revolutions, 312 compression strokes) before again failing. The voltage fell from 6.12 to 5.98. The maximum speed at which the starter turned the engine was 66 revolutions per minute. The ignition was switched off, the throttle one-third open, and the engine was cold during the tests. ELECTRIC LIGHTING.—The set of lamps consisted of the following: two parabolic head lamps with bulbs, taking 6.1 amps. together; two side lamps with bulbs, taking 1.7 amp. together; and one dash and one tail lamp (in series) with bulbs, taking 0.7 amp. together. All lamps (8.5 amps.) were on throughout the trial, i.e., for 66h. 17m., for 15h. 35m. of which the car was stopped with all lights on. With the exception of a few car stops of short duration the engine was always stopped. Owing to a detective cell in the battery (referred to under Electric Starter) a new battery, showing 6.6 volts, was fitted prior to the second day's run. The voltage of the battery at the end of the road trial was 6.3. At the end of the road trial, after the electric starter had been used to run the engine (as detailed under Electric Starter), the side lamps and the dash and tail lamps were lit in the motor house for 20 hours, divided into two periods of 7 hours and 13 hours, with an interval of 12 hours. During this test the voltage fell from 6.1 to 5.8. During the road trial trouble was experienced on three occasions, with a faulty dash-lamp socket, which did not make proper contact. No bulbs were replaced during the trial. ELECTRIC IGNITION.—A governor is provided to advance or retard the ignition automatically. As the mechanism was enclosed it was impossible to observe its behaviour. The setting of the ignition lever upon the steering column was altered fifty times during the trial. The engine did not misfire throughout the trial, except when it was overheated through the loss of water as recorded under Performance of Car. TWO-SPEED BACK AXLE AND ITS ELECTRICAL CHANGE MECHANISM.—During the trial 260 changes from high to low ratio, and 126 changes to a lower gear were made. The total time during which a lower gear was in use was 30m. 9s. The electrical mechanism for changing the gear ratio from one bevel to the other worked satisfactorily throughout the trial. GENERAL REMARKS.—After 269 miles had been run the ammeter, fitted for the purposes of the trial, showed that the output of the dynamo was between five and six amps. As the current taken by the lighting and ignition system was about fifty per cent. in excess of this, the voltage regulator was adjusted by adding mercury, the time being 2m. 28s. | ||