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).
Report from a visit to General Motors discussing Studebaker tappets, Vauxhall experimental car sound tests, and American methods for reducing road noise.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 178\2\ img022 | |
| Date | 13th April 1940 | |
| COPY OF SERIAL NO.78 FROM OLLEY, DATED APRIL 13th, 1940. Rolls-Royce Ltd., Derby. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Car Work. Tappets. Visit from Ernie Wilson, General Motors Proving Ground - April 11, '40. With regard to your queries on Studebaker tappets, Ernie Wilson says that these have caused no trouble whatever at the Proving Ground. He is not entirely familiar with them because the Studebaker was not one of the cars pulled down after 25,000 miles. We are getting and will send you a Studebaker tappet. Coach Work. The little Vauxhall experimental car which we developed in England last summer is now over here and a great number of sound tests have been done on it. From these, it has been shown that wood floors are not necessary for the reduction of road noise. Steel floors properly panelled and applied are equally good and are regarded here as more desirable, principally, I think, because the wood floors are impossible for the volume of production in Detroit. A properly designed metal floor requires the elimination of any panel capable of producing "stage thunder" and requires stiff channel cross member spot-welded underneath the floor. The unsupported areas must be as small as possible consistent with getting a flat floor. The improvement in car noise obtained in 1940 models of American cars has been due to building bodies with decent sills. Here follow Ernie Wilson's major points for reducing road noise: 1. Throw away the X member in the frame to permit proper floor bracing. 2. Make a frame like the present Chevrolet, consisting of two side rails with negligible connection between each other, but using the utmost solidity in their connections with the door pillars. 3. There will be rubber mounts between the frame side rails and the front and rear suspensions, such mounts having P.T.O. | ||