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).
Secret test report on a complete car, detailing its performance, handling, and appearance.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 65a\2\ scan0144 | |
| Date | 15th December 1928 | |
| BJ. from PN{Mr Northey}/CWB. c. to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} PN{Mr Northey}/CWB/GM15.12.28. SECRET - 1S-EX. We had an opportunity yesterday, by arrangement with Expl: Dept:, of running and testing this complete car between Derby and West WitteringHenry Royce's home town. CWB. accompanied the car all the way, PN.{Mr Northey} met it at Reading and ran on it to W.W. from that place. Nearly the whole distance running was made very difficult and consequently slow, by reason of frost and severe mist, there being only short lengths of road where one was justified in running up to 50 m.p.h. The general appearance of the car is very pleasing, one is immediately struck with the unusual lowness, and narrowness, and height-impression of the radiator and tremendous, if imposing, length overall of the car with its two wheels plus luggage at the rear. It is quite obvious that our impressions of this car can only be of a most superficial description resulting from a short experience such as we had yesterday with it. The general running of the car we considered most encouraging. The springing represents probably the most important improvement on the chassis. We were undoubtedly surprised and certainly delighted with the improved comfort which was obtained at the back of this car, especially at the difficult speeds up to 30 m.p.h. on ordinary macadam roads with potholes. The spring control was excellent, that is, the rear wheels held the road remarkably well under all conditions, especially on the severe application of the brakes. We could not wish for more attractively operating or efficiency brakes. The fact that we observed a tendency for the car to heel over on cornering which we consider is excessive, should not be cause for undue worry, because such a characteristic should be amenable to the control provided by adequate damping with the shock absorbers fitted and this can only result after some thousands of miles further test with the car, and further experience and knowledge of its general characteristics under varying conditions of speed and load. It is undoubtedly a compliment we can pay to the car that, when accelerating on top gear through the whole range of speed, ones impression was that we were running on a really silent third gear, chiefly because the sense of acceleration and not of sound, was unusually good. After one had run a very short distance one was struck by a new characteristic, one which is not at all obvious in the present production, that is, a tendency for the whole front of the frame to oscillate, which is chiefly to be noticed by the 'jellying' movement of the radiator, front wings and contd:- | ||