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).
Visit from Monsieur Dubonnet regarding the potential use of his independent wheel suspension system.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\1\ scan0118 | |
| Date | 27th February 1934 | |
| To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. to For. C. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} C. to Sc. C. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} C. to Hsy. C. to Fv. INDEPENDENT WHEEL SUSPENSION. We had a visit yesterday of Mons. Dubonnet. It will be remembered that we tried a Hispano car fitted with a Dubonnet suspension at the Paris Show 1932 (report ref: Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Lid.{A. J. Lidsey}1/KT.2.11.32). At the time we recommended that we should try and obtain some units from Mons. Dubonnet which could be fitted on to one of our existing cars; nothing however was done with this. Since then the Dubonnet scheme has been fitted as standard on to Chevrolet, Pontiac, Studebaker, Opel, and shortly will be fitted to the Hodgkiss, Packard, and Vauxhall. Mons. Dubonnet owns a 25 HP. car which he brought with him yesterday. He also had one of the first production Pontiac cars which was fitted with his type of independent wheel suspension on the front. Mr. Sc. and myself tried this car and compared it with the 25 HP. R.R. over the same roads. There is no doubt that the riding comfort was much better on the Pontiac. Apart from the riding comfort the car the much more silent and smoother. It had the usual very low gear steering which is standard on American cars, but considering the car was purchased in America for 700 dollars it is a remarkable proposition. The purpose of Mons. Dubonnet's visit was to interest us in his form of independent suspension. He left with us a large number of drawings of alternative schemes and details. He also informed us that the Delco Company in America had taken up the rights and were proposing to produce the units. We have cabled to Am. asking whether he can bring back two units which are suitable for 25 HP. or Bentley. Mons. Dubonnet is very anxious to purchase a Bentley one of the conditions is that he should be able to fit to the car his type of front suspension. We told him of course that we could not do this. We think we have got to take an interest in this type of suspension because if we test the alternatives we shall be able to gauge a more accurate value for our own scheme. The position was left therefore that we would see whether we could obtain units from U.S.A., at the same time Mons. Dubonnet would look into the question of whether he had a pair of suitable units in Paris which he could let us have. If he has them he will let us have the drawings so that the scheme can be looked into. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||