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).
Instance of a car overheating during an ascent on the Riviera.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 24\5\ Scan051 | |
| Date | 11th May 1925 | |
| x766 H1/TB/11.5.25. F.R. To C.J. from H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} copy to BJ. Re:- OVER-HEATING. In connection with the discussion of this matter which is at present proceeding, it would seem advisable to put on record exactly my experience of "75-AU" on the occasion of its over-heating on the Riviera. It was on March 24th that I took the car, with my driver and two passengers, from Cannes to Monte Carlo, making the ascent of the Grande Corniche from Nice to La{L. A. Archer} Turbie. The day was not a hot day or a sunny day, and the wellknown hill from Nice to La{L. A. Archer} Turbie is one which I have done several times in each of those years when I have been on the Riviera since 1910, on 40-50 Rolls-Royce cars. I nearly always when demonstrating do the hill, except for two rather steeper portions, on top gear. On this occasion, being out for faster work and better speed performance, I used 3rd. speed throughout the ascent, and thus presumably had a higher fan speed. Throughout a large portion of the time the cut-out was open. By the time the rather steeper portion of the hill immediately above the Quatre Chemins was reached, the cooling water was boiling. This is an experience I have never had on this hill on any previous occasion. I think it is extremely probable that, had the shutters, especially the forward shutters, been open, the water would not have boiled, but it must be agreed that, if throughout a large number of ascents made on hot sunny days as well as cold days one has never had a tendency to boiling, one would not assume that our present production was any worse than any previous production, and one would not stop in Nice for the purpose of opening shutters. The above has only previously been reported verbally at the Sales Conference. RECEIVED 11 MAY 1925 | ||