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).
Performance and comparison report on a competitor's 'Two Litre Ballot' car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0138 | |
| Date | 25th January 1932 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} TWO LITRE BALLOT. This car lent by Mr. Pantlin is an overhead camshaft four cylinder car of total weight 33 cwt. without passengers. The car had run 60,000 miles, the engine being very noisy it being necessary to shout in the saloon body above 50 MPH. Above this speed (2500 R.P.M.) the engine was extraordinarily rough. The performance of the car was very inferior to the 25 HP. R.R. The time from 10 to 30 M.P.H. on top gear being 20 secs. against 11 for our car. From 10 to 60 using the gears took 56 seconds, or more than twice as long as the 25 HP. The maximum speed attainable was 62 M.P.H. on the level after a few minutes at which speed the body was filled with crankcase fumes and on stopping the engine there was loss of water due to boiling, which does not speak well for the cooling of the cylinder head. The owner stated that the car could be cruised for ever at a maximum speed, which must be very uncomfortable with so rough an engine. Mr. Pantlin has tried no R.R. more recent than a Silver Ghost and bases his views on performance and smoothness on his car which is neither sporting or a Town carriage, being sprung for the former and having none of the properties of the latter. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/H.Grylls. | ||