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).
Letter discussing the difficulty of locating the source of 'booming' noises in vehicles and the desire for a diagnostic instrument.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\1\ 01-page127 | |
| Date | 17th October 1924 | |
| BJ4/H171024 17th October, 1924. Dear Mr. Nutt, BOOMING - PHILLIPPI. Thank you for your letter of the 16th. We are of course most anxious to assist in any way possible to prevent complaints from customers concerning booming Rolls-Royce cars. Can you kindly let me know which of our experts, after trying the first chassis, stated that he considered it was not normal (or exactly what he did say on the matter, as this is not what was reported to me. With regard to locating an abnormal vibration or noise in a chassis, I am afraid this is just as difficult as it appears to be to locate the origin of a vibration or noise in a body. We have all been trying for years to find some means of definitely locating these troubles, but I am afraid that so far, neither with bodies or chassis have either coachbuilders or ourselves been successful. If anyone could invent a mechanical instrument to help coachbuilders and us in definitely locating the origin of vibrations and noises, it would be invaluable to all of us. I believe many very clever men have unsuccessfully endeavoured to invent such instruments. I am sure that our Works would be very glad to make a test with the "Woofinder" if you will kindly let us know where we can obtain one for this purpose. It seems to have been proved very conclusively in the past that two chassis may be quite normal, and one not worse than the other, and yet a body may boom on one and not on the other. This seems to point to the fact that it is often a combination of body and chassis which causes a boom, but if the body were a non-boomer, it would make no noise with either of the chassis. We spend tens of thousands of pounds in our | ||