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).
Technical report evaluating a car's road performance, focusing on the harsh ride, suspension, and steering issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0026 | |
| Date | 11th October 1927 guessed | |
| contd :- -2- perform best when driven at maximum speed over a bad road. The result was that little or no benefit could be detected from the unconventional rear springs under normal conditions and the riding of the whole car was decidedly harsh. At high speeds the car definitely held the road very well and there was little tendency for the rear passengers to be thrown about but we believe it would be quite possible to produce much the same result on a Phantom or 20 HP. car if low speed riding comfort was sacrificed. There seemed to be little or no tendency to roll on corners though it was difficult to judge this as a light test body was fitted. The most impressive way of demonstrating the chassis was to drive on and off the pavement at speed; there is no doubt that, as we found on the Ansaldo in a more marked degree, a transverse front spring does materially improve the riding under these conditions. Summarising our impressions, on the whole disappointing, the transverse front spring however does seem to have advantages. The other point of interest on this car was the steering. It is high geared and has only the slightest suspicion of self-centering, the makers claim it is entirely irreversible but this is not so because when driving at high speed on a bad road shocks can be felt on the wheel. The whole feeling of the steering gear is that it is being hammered and would quickly wear out. The somewhat unrestrained transverse movement of the front axle undoubtedly aggravated the gyroscopic movement of the front wheels which were equipped with balloon tyres. The car had an excellent steering lock, but the remainder was typically Continental, the engine being rough, the axle and gearbox noisy. contd :- | ||