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).
Technical report comparing the performance and issues of a Buick Series 40 and a Cadillac.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\2\ img229 | |
| Date | 10th December 1934 | |
| -2- He/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/9/KW.10.12.34. We have now got our series 40 Buick and are on the whole very pleased with it. We do think that they might have fitted a better intake and exhaust silencer because these are the only two features one could really criticise on the car. Brakes of course are quite unsuitable for England. We do not think the slow running is as good as on the up-draught Buicks. Would you be good enough to ask Chayne to invoice to us any modifications which are being made to the induction system of these cars for next year. We understand that the Marvel carburetter is being replaced by the Stromberg carburetter. We should like the Stromberg carburetter and the induction pipe which goes with it, so that we can try them out. We think that the Buick steering is delightfully smooth and consistent in operation, besides being free from road shocks. The Cadillac has now done about 7,000 miles in France. The two real failures we have so far had are the gudgeon pin bushes have all seized up, and the silent tappets have failed to function due to sludge choking the poppet valves. We ourselves have of course fitted on the Phantom a special filter in the system to keep sludge out of the Cadillac tappets. Various bolts have failed in the side spare wheel carriers etc., but the suspension and steering generally continue to give entire satisfaction. We find that under French conditions we completely wear the brakes out in about 4,000 miles, and have to replace them with new liners. We have confirmed that the lap speed of the car on Montlhery is about 86 m.p.h. When we have completed the test and have got full details of all the failures which have taken place, we will send a report on to you. Hancock thinks that the gudgeon pin bushes failed because no oil supply can get to these if the engine is left idling at very slow speed. When we come to criticise slow running, we do not think that the Cadillac 16 is very good; in fact it is very much worse than either the series 40 or the other model Buicks. We should like to have your opinion on this. | ||