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 to M. Olley of Cadillac Motor Car Co. responding to queries about the Burney rear-engine car and independent rear wheel systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img083 | |
| Date | 17th August 1931 | |
| A.Sc. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/AD. August 17th, 1931. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Olley Esq. Cadillac Motor Car Co. Detroit, Michigan. Dear Oy. Thank you for your letter of July 13th. I have to apologise for our apparent curtness in the note to which you refer and can assure you that we are only too grateful for any information you impart to us in your admirably worded communications. With regard to your two queries :- (1) I have not tried the Burney rear engine car myself but several members of the firm have and say that in spite of the fact that it is a very makeshift job, they were impressed with the silence and general absence of fuss which the arrangement appeared to produce. As, however, apparently most of the controls are by Bowden Cable the scheme has not yet had a fair trial. (2) With regard to the independent rear wheel jobs like Sizaire, Cottin Desgouttes, I think I have tried all of any note including the Styr, Harris Leon Laisne and sundry others. The Leon Laisne really behaved remarkably well when the deflecting parts were coil springs of low rating. It is entirely free from pitching and absorbs big pot holes in a charming manner. For some obscure reason, the inventor is now using rubber and when I tried the car at the last Paris Motor Show it appeared to have been rather spoilt. | ||