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).
Unacceptable back axle noise in the 20 HP owner-driven limousine, preventing its sale.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 41\3\ Scan220 | |
| Date | 11th December 1922 | |
| To LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} from BL. Copies to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. X3730 BODIES FOR 20 H.P. BJ7/Hl.12.22. R.{Sir Henry Royce} wishes us to make a four-seated owner-driven limousine for 20 h.p., of which you already have particulars. The suggestion is that we shall obtain drawings from good coachbuilders as soon as possible and that these should be submitted to R.{Sir Henry Royce}, so that he and Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} may tell us whether they are in every way satisfactory. The difficulty at present, however, is that we have an ordinary limousine (with the driver outside under a canopy) for demonstration purposes. This is a beautiful car and would have been very suitable for demonstration, but the noise from the back axle is so excessive that we could not use it at all. We therefore sent it to the Works to see whether they could provide a better axle. They have returned it to us with an axle which is practically as noisy, and say this is the best they can do. Yesterday I asked Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} and Rg.{Mr Rowledge} to go out in it and convince themselves that it is an impossible car with such an axle. Under the circumstances it is quite useless for us to try to sell limousine cars of any sort, and I have given instructions that this limousine shall not be used at all, and that we shall not deliver any to customers. Before we can sell any form of limosine the Works will have to improve the back axle considerably, unless a miracle occurs, which enables coachbuilders to succeed where they have tried and failed for the last ten years, namely, to make a limousine in some form in which, although the back axle may be noisy, it will not be heard. We know from experience that back axles may seem quite quiet on an open car, but are impossible with a limousine. The axle noise in the 20 h.p. limousine is far worse than any noise on a 40/50 h.p. limousine. Of course we all know that there is no form of body which accentuates such noises as much as an enclosed owner-driven limousine, which is like a drum. To a lesser degree, an open touring car, with the hood up and side curtains, accentuates these noises. This is an important matter which we must use every endeavour to overcome; otherwise we shall lose a large number of orders for 20 h.p. cars, and whilst the Works are still endeavouring to find some method of producing a quiet axle, will you kindly arrange for the Coachbuilding Committee | ||