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 comparing a 25-HP car with a Hooper Body to a Cadillac, noting differences in brakes, weight, and chassis flexibility.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0164 | |
| Date | 30th January 1935 | |
| COPY. CWW/MO. 30th January, 1935. Messrs. Rolls-Royce, Ltd., 14-15, Conduit Street, London, W.1. Comparison between 25-HP. Rolls-Royce Hooper Body and Cadillac Car. Dear Sirs, We thank you for the courtesy extended to us in arranging this investigation, but we must state that we do not think the test a very fair comparison; the Cadillac being a 58-HP. car weighing approximately 3 tons with a wheel base 6" longer than the 40/50-HP. long chassis and with, it appeared, very soft tyres, against a 25-HP. Rolls-Royce whose tyres seemed fairly hard. Another point struck us as rather noticeable that the Cadillac brakes were not nearly so effective as those of the Rolls-Royce, hence the Cadillac body was not subjected to the very serious symton of what we call "matchboxing". Further to the long report sent in by our representative, the Writer personally rode in these two cars and the comparison was very marked. The amazing part about the Hooper body was when riding over the stone sets the impression and the feeling one had was as though all the joints of the body were being pulled asunder. Immediately one came to the macadam road, the excessive noise ceased. You will notice from our representative's report that he gives one or two reasons and apparent faults where some of these noises were coming from. But apart from these, it was very interesting as it bears out our feelings that the whole of the trouble seems to be coming from the flexibility of the chassis. The bad noises were only apparent when the whole chassis was subjected to severe twisting action. | ||