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).
Query regarding a mysterious, intermittent Autovac issue on Phantom models at speeds of 60 M.P.H. or over.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 40\4\ Scan288 | |
| Date | 14th November 1928 | |
| N-W Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} o.to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} RECEIVED 15 NOV URGENT - FOR REPLY 3579 Br1/S.14.11.28 re Technical - Autovacs on Phantoms. We have had one or two cases recently, including a car in the shop at present, with a mysterious trouble with the Autovac. The complaint is that when travelling at 60 M.P.H. or over, the Autovac will suddenly dry up for no apparent reason. The trouble is not constant and we can find no real reason for it. In the case of a car in the shop at the present time, Chassis No.68-AL, the customer has been back once or twice with the same complaint and we have never really been able to reproduce the trouble, but this morning we had the car out on a suitable road and when our man was travelling at 60 M.P.H. the Autovac dried up. He then put on another Autovac and could not get a recurrence of the trouble. The car's own Autovac was then refitted and again he could not reproduce the trouble. We have carefully inspected everything and can find nothing wrong in any way. Can you let us know if you have had any similar troubles and if you can give us any hints to work upon. This car is fairly new and naturally the owner is pressing us for redelivery. He states that he has had the Autovac trouble intermittently ever since he took delivery of the car. [Handwritten] I understand you have experiments in hand dealing with this trouble Will you please reply to Br.{T. E. Bellringer - Repair Manager} But let us have copies for information Flap occasionally doesn't close. | ||