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).
The performance issues of 40/50 HP cars in America, proposing modifications to the induction and cooling systems.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\F\February1921\ Scan37 | |
| Date | 16th February 1921 | |
| To Cd. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to OR. " HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " DA{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} " DY{F R Danby}+ " R.R. of Am. (For the attention of OV.) X.3614 ORIGINAL RECEIVED R12/015/2/21. FEB 16 RECEIVED X.3749 RE 40/50 H.P. R.R. CARS IN AMERICA. The conclusions arrived at from Mr. Hives' visit to America, and his report, and my interview with him, are as follows:- That the chief fault in connection with the present 40/50 H.P. in America is due to the lower grade of petrol, and I agree and recommend that very urgent measures be taken to produce a more satisfactory induction system. I do not think for a moment that much alteration is necessary or advisable in either carburettor or pistons. It is necessary, however, to not only keep the cooling water in the cylinders at as high a temperature as possible, but it is necessary that the whole of the engine under the bonnet shall be maintained as warm as we can possibly do so without boiling the water, and to do this it is imperative to fit louvres controlled by thermostat, and to have such a fitting made standard, and applicable to existing cars before next winter. The reason why I do not think we can do much good with the pistons, is that some of the best American cars with large cylinders, such as the Marmon, use aluminium pistons as far as they affect the heating of the crown of the piston. (The Marmon pistons were, however, composite in having cast iron sleeves, and this was presumably to prevent knocking.) In addition to this evidence, so large a cylinder as ours, with cast iron pistons, would be liable to increase the risk of detonation. Moreover, the aluminium pistons have the advantage that they are not so liable to seize, which is very (Contd.) | ||