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).
Report comparing the reliability of Delco electrical equipment on a Marmon car with other systems over 5000 miles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 163\7\ img024 | |
| Date | 7th June 1921 guessed | |
| -2- such as fuses blowing, or dynamo belts need adjustment, none-the-less they are irritating. We have kept a careful record of the troubles we have had with the Delco equipment on the Marmon Car. That car has now completed 5000 miles since it has come into our hands. It has not been nursed; the electrical units have all been pulled off for information and put back again, yet, during the whole of the 5000 miles we have not had a single fault on the electrical side. The only fault we have had has been with the mechanical drive for the starter motor sheared two pins. It was put right in a very short time because of the accessibility of this unit. The Generator on the Marmon car is quite satisfactory and silent. We have tried the battery ignition with various adjustments on the contact breaker and find that there is a ~~very-adjustments-on-the-contact-breaker-and-find~~ very wide range of adjustment without any misfiring. We have never once had to touch the contact breaker points. The ignition fires quite satisfactorily even on 4 volts. From our experience we are bound to admit that the reliability of the electrical equipment on the Marmon car is better than the equipment we are at present fitting to our own car and if present conditions stand, are likely to for the next 12 or 18 months. The Smith Generator and cut-out has proved itself to be infinitely more efficient and more reliable than the Lucas. The Smith Generator is going to be much more expensive than the Lucas. The cutout is going to be more expensive and the contd:- | ||