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).
10,000-mile vehicle test, covering a distributor drive failure, speedometer reporting, and other investigations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 108\3\ scan0150 | |
| Date | 15th March 1938 | |
| 600d. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/LM.Waller. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R.15.3.38. Many thanks for reports on the 10,000 miles' test. We note that you have failed the distributor drive, and should be interested to know whether it functions satisfactorily now that you have reduced the slipper wheel load. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} has objected to your mentioning speedometer speeds in the Daily Reports, so will you please avoid doing this. We realise that with different tyre and wheel sizes it is not easy to quote correct miles per hour. We anticipate that you will carry out any investigation work that you want to do on the car during the remainder of the 15,000 miles' running, i.e., the effect of solid shackles, etc. We should be interested to know whether you have suffered from the 48 m.p.h. period on your car. This is the period which is present under full throttle accelerating conditions, but not on the over-run. We have at different times had it on all our experimental cars, but it comes and goes in a mysterious manner. We should be interested to know whether it has disappeared from your car with running. Are you satisfied with the final form of rear engine mounting ? (Apart from your criticisms) Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||