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 the Packard Motor Company with feedback and queries about their 12-cylinder and 120 models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 127\1\ scan0205 | |
| Date | 8th May 1935 | |
| V435 Exptl. Dept. HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}11/KW. 8th May, 1935. Walter Griswold Esq., Engineering Dept., The Packard Motor Company, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. Dear Griswold, We like the clutch operation on the 12-cylinder Packard very much, and wonder whether you could let us have particulars of the vacuum operation. The 120 Packard is creating quite a stir in England, I think you have made a fine job for the money. On the 12-cylinder which I tried the other day I noticed two very definite crankshaft periods. Are these periods an accident or should they not be there ? Our experience of the 12-cylinder is that we do require a much larger slipper wheel than we anticipated. Actually we calculate that the 6 per revolution period on the 12 should be no more difficult to eliminate than the half speed period on the 6, but this does not seem to pan out in practice. One other point: do you find that there is a minimum flywheel inertia which you can use without running into trouble from engine periods ? In return for all these queries, may I recommend that you study the Girling brake operation as being used by a lot of English cars. Our opinion here is that the brakes are easily the worst feature on American cars, and we do not know how you put up with the Bendix productions. Of course in England we use our brakes far more than you do. | ||