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).
Visual data sheet and review for the Type 320 Frazer-Nash B.M.W. Saloon.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 126\3\ scan0118 | |
| Date | 5th April 1938 | |
| Reprinted from The Motor April 5, 1938 FRAZER-NASH-B.M.W. first sight these would appear to act as scoops, but in practice they act as very efficient extractors even at quite high speeds. Another unusual provision is concealed radiator shutters with dash control. The cooling system provides a big reserve capacity for arduous conditions such as would be met in climbing alpine passes and even on a warm day slight use of the shutters is an advantage. The front seats are wide and the squabs are of generous depth and width, while an unusual range of adjustment is provided. At the rear recessed armrests provide extra elbow room. The seat cushions are so arranged as to provide a fairly upright position, so that although the legroom in the rear compartment does not appear to be very great it proves ample in practice, even on long runs. At night the head lamps give an adequate forward beam and a wide spread of light, illuminating the full width of the road and footpaths, near the car, while a foot dimmer provides a flat-topped anti-dazzle beam. A switch on the steering column makes it possible to lock ignition only or ignition and steering as required. The vee-type screen combined with a sloping bonnet line gives good visibility of objects right up to the front of the car and large rear windows give full vision of overtaking traffic. Quite a useful amount of luggage can be carried in the tail compartment, reached by tilting the rear squab. Carburetter, ignition units, battery and dipstick are accessibly placed, and tools and fuses are housed in neat cases on the scuttle. A pull-out type of handbrake is used for parking purposes. A small point is that for shortish drivers the “30” position on the speedometer is partly obscured by the steering wheel. The standard saloon as tested has cloth upholstery and is now reduced in price to £375. A de luxe model is also available with selected English leather upholstery, English carpeting, spring-spoked wheel and fog lamp at £398. An unusually well-finished drop-head cabriolet is also listed at £498. “THE MOTOR” VISUAL DATA SHEET Type 320 Frazer-Nash B.M.W. Saloon (April 5, 1938) PERFORMANCE m.p.h. Top secs. 3rd secs. 10-30 9.7 6.4 20-40 9.7 6.4 30-50 10.7 7.0 40-60 14.2 -- MAX. m.p.h. 77.9 55 ENGINE No. of cyls. . . . . . 6 Bore and stroke . . 66 x 96 Capacity . . . . . . . 1,971 c.c. Valves . . . . . . . . O.h. Rating . . . . . . . . 16.2 h.p. CHASSIS Frame . . . . . . . . . Box-section Springs . . . . . . . Transverse I.F.S., Semi-elliptic rear Brakes . . . . . . . . Hydraulic Tyres . . . . . . . . . 5.50 x 17 Tank . . . . . . . . . 11 gallons DATA: £375; 78 m.p.h.; 21-24 m.p.g.; weight (unladen), 18¾ cwt.; tax, £12 15s.; turning circle, 32 ft. ACCELERATION FROM REST TO:- SPEED: 0, 30, 50, ¼M TIME: 0 secs, 5.8 secs, 15.0 secs, 22.7 secs. GEARS 1st 16 to 1 2nd 9.8 to 1 Top (S) 4.3 to 1 3rd (S) 6.6 to 1 2,500 r.p.m. at 50 m.p.h. HILLS CLIMBABLE Top . . 1 in 9.7 3rd . . 1 in 6.5 2nd . . 1 in 4.3 1st . . 1 in 2.7 BRAKES, STOP FROM 30 M.P.H. 40 LB. ON PEDAL - 120 FT. SLOW UP 85 LB. ON PEDAL - 60 FT. NORMAL STOP 120 LB. ON PEDAL - 36.8 FT. (82%) BEST STOP DIAGRAMS: Car Side Profile Dimensions: OVERALL WIDTH 5'-1" FRONT SEAT WIDTHS 21" EA. REAR SEAT WIDTH 48" OVERALL HEIGHT 5'-4" SEAT ADJUSTABLE ±4¼" WHEELBASE 9'-0" OVERALL LENGTH 14'-9" Dashboard Layout: VENTILATOR, INTERIOR LIGHT, SIGNALS, FUEL, WIPERS, OIL, WATER TEMP, LIGHTER ASH-TRAY, RAD. SHUTTERS, PANEL LIGHT, IGNITION CONTROL, VENT. CONTROL, THROTTLE, STARTER, CHOKE, LIGHTS, IGNITION & STEERING LOCK, SPEEDO. SEATING.—Black figure portrays woman 5 ft. 5 ins. high, 26 ins. from hips. White figure shows 6-ft. man, 30 ins. from hips. Scale of drawing 2/5 actual size. HILL CLIMBING.—Maximum gradients for each gear are shown. Where 1 in 6.5 is recorded the car will climb Edge, South Harting, Kirkstone and Rest and Be Thankful Hills. (S) means that the gear is synchronized. BRAKES.—Scale gives distance in feet from 30 m.p.h. as determined by an Efficiency meter. Pedal pressures needed to stop in shortest distance, in 30 ft. (normal short stop) and in 120 ft. or “slow up” are also shown. Average figures are 50 lb. for 60 ft., and about double for shortest. 100 lb. is the maximum pressure for average woman. If the 60-ft. and shortest-stop pressures are close together (e.g., 60 ft., 50 lb.—shortest, 72 lb.), the brake tends to fierceness. Temple Press Ltd. 5-17, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.1. 1349—38 | ||