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 and technical specifications of a Voisin car following its Paris-Nice journey.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\1\ Scan025 | |
| Date | 20th October 1921 | |
| NICE DÉPOT X 4370 RECEIVED 20 OCT 1921 X4370 Re performance of the Voisin car Paris-Nice. BJ. Pa{Mr Paterson}2/N15421. Copy Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} I had an opportunity of talking to Mr Lumberjack and to examine the Voisin car the day after its arrival at Nice after putting up the good performance of Paris-Nice in 11.1/3 hours, averaging 83 Kilom per hour throughout the journey. The chassis appeared in every way a standard model with no apparent attempts to lighten the chassis. Four bucket seats were fitted, the two at the rear forming a carrier for a specially designed supplementary petrol tank. This latter fitting enabled the car to make the distance without a refil. A special oil tank was fitted under the scuttle dash, and I think had something to do with an extra oiling arrangement. Engine, Sleeve valve "Knight" 4 Cylinder 90/140 m/m.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} The rear springs were not of the inverted type as usually fitted by this firm, but of the semi-eliptic pattern, I was informed this latter system of springing was standard on the "Sports" model. Tyres Michelin Cablé and no steps for tyre trouble. The chief feature of the car (and a point which I consider plays much more important than is generally supposed, especially for cars at high speeds) was the careful study of streamline. We learned a tremendous amount on this subject during our experience with Airships, when we prove that a slack envelope or faulty streamline would reduce the speed several miles per hour. On the Voisin car, no windscreen of the orthodox type was used, but a lip only about 3"x18" of such design as to throw the air in current just clear | ||