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).
Demonstration run report of a new 4½ litre Invicta open-touring type car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0048 | |
| Date | 2nd October 1928 | |
| S/W(HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}) BJ. copy to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} " CWB. 43531 PN{Mr Northey}28/LH{Mr Haworth}2.10.28. Yesterday I had an opportunity of taking a Demonstration run in one of the new 4½ litre Invicta cars. The body was of the open-touring type and the car weighed, complete with passengers, 23 cwt. My enthusiasm to try this arose from an article I had read in the previous week's 'Motor', in which interesting particulars were given as to the extraordinary good acceleration and deceleration obtained with this model. Obviously the car is light, but, at the same time, there undoubtedly appear to be features in its design enabling the two points referred to above to be so remarkable, quite apart from lightness. The six cylinder engine was not quiet when idling, although I was told it was quite possible to make this engine very silent. The tappets were not quiet when the engine was running under-load; there was not any objectionable vibration to be felt at any engine speed. The crank shaft appears to be very stiff and has only four bearings. There is no slipper device to prevent periodic vibration. The controls on the steering wheel have been copies from R.R. design, but work in the opposite directions. The acceleration of the car on top gear was very good, and their claim not to require a gear box, although one is provided, was almost substantiated by the way in which the car was able to climb on top gear such gradients as Netherhall Gardens. Two carburetters are fitted, there being an equalising tube between the two. It would be interesting to know to what extent having two carburetters has enabled so great an acceleration to be possible. The front tyres are 5¼" in section, 30 lbs pressure. The steering is of the Marles? type and was undoubtedly very pleasant to handle, there being very little road shock, no tendency to steering wobble and a quite good self-centreing effect. The camshaft and valves are actuated much as with our '20' - push rods being employed. The single plate dry clutch was excellent; the fitting of the gear lever was bad. The gears were fairly noisy. The four wheel brakes, which I was informed were not operative by servo nor were the shoes self-wrapping, were peculiarly effective. I could hardly believe that I was not actuating a servo when decelerating the car from 60 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h. The springing of the car was harsh in front, but quite pleasant at the back. I think it would be well worth the while of Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} to have a run on this car, if he has not already done so. PN.{Mr Northey} | ||