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).
Suitability of a 32 PB chassis for Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Co. Ltd., including gearing options and a comparison with a Cadillac.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 125\1\ scan0002 | |
| Date | 29th August 1919 | |
| M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} 235a (500 T) (S.D. 408. 26-4-17.) Bm. 2/156/13. To HM.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to CJ. c. to BN.{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} c. to EH. X 1729 R3/G29.8.19. X801. RE CHASSIS 32 PB. EBBW VALE STEEL, IRON AND COAL CO.LTD. My impression is that you and Mr. Hives should go over and see the Ebbw Vale people, taking a good modern car for a test run. They might allow Mr. Hives also to drive the Cadillac over the same road. It must be understood that for general use our top gear does not appear to be too high, though for such a country as Wales a lower gear might be advantageous. If a lower gear could be fitted it would be as well to either take this, or make a second trip demonstrating this as being our suggested modification for the particular work in hand. In studying this matter it should be noted that our chassis is a heavy one, built with the intention of carrying a large enclosed body. It is not excessively heavy for the duty it is capable of performing, in fact much money is spent upon it to make it lighter than it would be considering its strength. The Cadillac may be a different type of chassis, and over suitable, like the Buick, for carrying a light body, and moreover, the Cadillac may not require, or be able to run at the high speeds that our cars are expected to do, and for which we have to make them extra-ordinary strong in the axles etc. so that the car should be compared for all-round conditions and studied for weight and cylinder capacity per ton mile. It will be found also, I believe, that for all out Contd. | ||