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).
Comparative analysis and road test report on Stutz, Bugatti, and Lea Francis cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 21\2\ Scan044 | |
| Date | 29th February 1928 guessed | |
| contd :- -3- no marked period up to 45 MPH. on 2nd. gear nor did the valve mechanism (O.H.V. camshaft direct cam on valve) become noisy. Crankshaft arrgt. 2, 4, 2. The suspension was very good and fairly flexible. In spite of this the car held the road and cornered well at speed due to its low centre of gravity. The steering is very low geared but lacked selectiveity somewhat. The brakes are very good for direct acting hydraulics. The cluth was not working well on this particular car. On the whole the Stutz is the best American car we have so far tried and would be of considerable interest to us for its engine, suspension and low c. of g.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Also to see if their worm drive will stand punishment. They supply three types of head to give various compression ratios. The std. closed car is not ultra fast, 65-70 MPH. They have a very poor petrol cons. 13-14 m.p.g. 8-CYL. 2300 c.c. SUPERCHARGED 120 MPH. BUGATTI. The engine of this car is quite astonishing. It will function under ordinary traffic conditions at 8-10 m.p.h. on top gear and accelerates quite nicely from this speed without undue snatching. Though of course periods are difficult to detect on a racing car, we did not observe anything that we could pick out definitely. The power unit of the car would be an interesting study in producing a high efficiency straight-8. 6-CYL. 14 HP. LEA FRANCIS. 2 OHV. CAMSHAFTS. An example of a high ex efficiency small-6 engine. All the crankshaft periods are in evidence in a marked degree. The main period becomes the limiting factor in this type of engine. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/W.A.Robotham. | ||