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 challenges of fitting rear shock dampers and the development of a new design for the 'Goshawk II' experimental chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M1\1\ img074 | |
| Date | 8th October 1921 | |
| To F.M. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} Copy to C.J. HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ORIGINAL R4/G8/10/21. RE SHOCK DAMPERS. X3461 / X4329 We have always fitted these fairly successfully to the front of the 40/50 H.P. chassis. Much difficulty has, however, arisen in fitting them to the rear of the 40/50 H.P. chassis, principally on account of materials and lubrication, rather than any difficulty with the actual design. All these fittings require connecting rods to the axles, and it is this part which is so difficult to keep in good order, as the joints like the steering joints, are exposed to the road grit and water. There seems no hope to avoid this. As regards "Goshawk II", we have designed equally good, less expensive ones for both the front and rear, and they are intended to be tried on the experimental chassis as soon as they are made. There is no doubt that cars at high speed require these fittings, but unfortunately they are costly and troublesome and destroy somewhat the beauty of riding at slow speeds. We quite agree with you that the ordinary purchased shock damper is usually a very imperfect apparatus, and generally imperfectly fitted. The whole apparatus presents difficulties principally on account of the mechanism being in such an exposed and unsatisfactory position. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||