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).
Vehicle performance issues covering the dynamo, exhaust, sub-frame, suspension, an oil leak, and driver licensing logistics.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 11\2\ 02-page019 | |
Date | 19th December 1928 guessed | |
19 -2- {Handwritten note: EFC E Fowler Clarke Mathematician & Electrical research engineer (Newer in the scientist class)} The dynamo gives a very poor output, its maximum charging rate being 6 amps. This is insufficient to maintain the lights for all-night driving. There is not sufficient charge left in the accumulator after an all-night's run to work the startermotor, this meaning when the starter motor switch was pressed, the lamps went down to a dim red. Would you please let us know which way the control brush has to be moved to give us a better output from the dynamo. The dynamo brushes are very noisy at times, this is one of the features which cannot be reproduced when you wish, it comes on erraticly. {Handwritten note: Manifold & pipe listed H/SS{S. Smith}} The silencer pipe from manifolds to silencer is distorting very bad and is now on the verge of leaving the rear silencer. There does not seem to be enough length of pipe left inside to take care of the distortion of the pipe. We shall soon be in trouble with this joint. It must be realized that the downtake manifolds and the main exhaust pipe become almost white hot even when running at 60 m.p.h. for a length of time on these roads. We are still hitting the rear of the sub-frame as already reported to you, although the speed of the car is being slowed up for all the depressions etc. that we know of. It is not a severe bump, but apparently the channel of the subframe is weak and easily bent. We do not think there will be any danger of the front springs breaking, and up to the present moment there has been no sign of the front hitting the buffers. In fact the front of the car is riding very well, but for the period of the jellying. The jellying of the front of the car is not at a definite period, it is all a question of road surface. We have had it as low as 46 m.p.h. On my run down here I found that the sweetest running of the car was 70 m.p.h. {Handwritten note: H/SS{S. Smith}} We have already reported to you the serious leak of oil from the rear crankshaft bearing. Will you please let us have either a drawing or information regarding this. I wrote to Paris asking Mr. Parsons for the loan of a driver, but unfortunately in his reply he says that it will be impossible for him to loan us any drivers. We shall therefore have to get them from Derby. Re the 20-HP car which we presume you are bringing out, it will be very advisable to bring it out under the R.A.C., because it will be necessary that the drivers have temporary licenses. As far as I am aware, none of these men have a French Driving License. We cannot procure a License for them here under possibly a month, this means we should have the 20-HP car driven by men with no driving licenses. Will you please let us have your views on these matters as soon as possible. ESHancock | ||