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).
Letter from M. Olley discussing axle qualities, braking issues, thermostat control, and V-12 engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img012 | |
| Date | 28th February 1938 guessed | |
| - 3 - standard of about 8° and ½" to 1" off center point. We did not want so much off center but got it through using "faked" stuff. The axle has qualities but we cannot assess them very well so far. It gives a first impression of running along the road more smoothly than the standard, but it has devilish habits when the brakes are applied on a wavy road. It picks up a violent shimmy at about 70 which continues down to about 45 m.p.h. if the brakes are on. I think we lack a "soft" drag link (side steering tube) to take the viciousness out of it. Ours is solid like most in U.S.A. I should welcome any notes you could let me have on this. Of course I know the offset seems huge, but Briggs confirms that they go up to 4" with vertical pivots on French cars. (Did you know Briggs was now with General Motors and in Detroit?) I should like you to thank Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} for his concession about information of general interest. I shall greatly appreciate this. (6) Thermostat Control of the Third Brush. Schaut tells me that all Delco Remy equipped cars now use it, except Packard and perhaps one or two more, who use some form of const. voltage control. We have had it for ten years. It is practically free from mechanical or other troubles. It appears to be most certainly the practical solution of the difficulty. With regard to a V-12 I certainly think you should have one. Even though it has faults it is a remarkable car especially in having a smooth power plant and easy handling. I do not know what R.{Sir Henry Royce} is considering but one has to think along lines of smaller cylinders. Yours, Maurice Olley M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley. P.S. See the annual paper in February S.A.E. Journal on friction type vibration dampers giving optimum setting. | ||