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).
Interim report on the performance and durability of small cars from Vauxhall, Austin, Morris, and Studebaker.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 135\2\ scan0203 | |
| Date | 19th March 1944 | |
| To: Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} From Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/Hvm. Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}/Hvm.I/SW.19.3.4. Interim Report on our small cars at Clan Foundry i.e. Vauxhall, Austin, Morris and Studebaker. We have now run a sufficient mileage on the Vauxhall 10 HP. car and the Studebaker, to be able to report on their general performance and durability. Firstly, I would point out that the Studebaker car, from a reliability point of view, is in a class of its own. The car has now completed 13,000 miles without giving the slightest trouble other than a burnt out ignition coil and a tendency on the part of the change speed lever which is situated at the top of the column, to play funny tricks. It has a habit of leaving the selector in gear, and the change speed lever in neutral, and this we attribute to the very poor and cheap method of control rods. The Vauxhall has been a source of trouble to us the whole of the time we have had it. The car was received by us with the speedometer reading 5,280 miles, and the following is a list of failures during the time we have run it :- Speedo Reading. Exhaust System Suspension broken at .. 7179 miles Speedometer failed 9180 " Rear Spring Interleaving worn out 9989 " Rear Axle developed so noisy, that new differential assembly had to be fitted 12836 " Prop: Shaft periods developed so badly that a new prop: shaft had to be fitted 12836 " Off-side Trafficator failed 16131 " Near-side Front Road Wheel Ball Race failed 16172 " Front End of Exhaust Silencer blown out 17145 " -Continued- | ||