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).
Letter from Maurice Olley discussing road conditions, ride comfort, and shock absorber design.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img163 | |
| Date | 20th June 1933 guessed | |
| -5- we have so many in this country. The familiar donkey backs in England and "caniveaux" in France are nothing to our road builder's nightmares embalmed in concrete. In general, these concrete roads, particularly here where temperature differences make them into a succession of tilted slabs like an ice pack, makes the riding problem much more difficult, and accounts for the American preference for soft springs on any cars which even pretend to ride decently. In addition there are our beautifully graded railroad crossings which were smoothed into perfect sine waves five or six years ago on the assumption that "Stop, look & listen" signs would hold the public to 20 M.P.H. Nowadays electric warning signals which show a flashing red light, replace the old gallows frames on every crossing of consequence and if the light is out the congregation of 100 per-centers takes the crossing all out, which means 65-80. The beautiful sine waves then work as though they had studied Rowell, and large gaping holes in the roof mark the exit of the owner and his wife from the rear seat. For this effect an inertia weight at the rear supplementing the ride control supplies a long felt want. A study of Rowell shows that on these long waves only a locked shock absorber can do the job because although the throw is violent the relative velocity between frame and axle is so low that the ordinary hydraulic action is negligible. /no The above are intended as just thoughts expressed clumsily enough on paper and as the Society reprints say "We accept/responsibility for the opinions of the writer". Neither do they contain any revelations of future Cadillacs or other designs. If they excite similar reaction from yourself they will justify themselves. When are you coming over?. I should immensely like about 48 hours of concentrated shop talk with you. Have you aluminium heads on all jobs now, and are they all turbulent?. Yours ever, (Signed) Maurice Olley. | ||