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).
Report from the USA detailing vehicle component failures, including valve springs and a radiator, with notes on competitor parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\2\ img178 | |
| Date | 20th February 1934 | |
| USA COPY OF REPORT RECEIVED FROM Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} IN U.S.A. DATED 20.2.34. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to WOP. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Rdy. c. to EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}E/KW.3.3.34. I cabled you to-day that two of the new set of valve springs broke between here and Detroit after doing between 300 and 500 miles up to 94 M.P.H. by speedometer. Of course one cruises at 80-85 here. This makes eight springs in all that have failed. I cannot see that anything silly is wrong: the springs almost come choc-a-bloc with the valve open, but this is our usual practice. I have so far had no trouble with some I had made in Detroit, but they did not do a great deal of running. My radiator also sprung a leak and I had to remove it and repair. It is the old one that G.W.H. had to doctor in France. It failed in the O.S. corner. You will remember that Marstons prophesied trouble here unless we cut out the matrix and fitted solid corners. I hope the job has been rectified on production. I found I had to take the two studs out of the bottom tank that hold on the bottom water pipe before I could lift off the radiator. Is this somewhat unusual procedure standard ? Here are some oil cooler figures that E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} asked for. Delco's to-day had not much new except a good production indicator, better than ours, of which I have prints. They are busy working on the tubular type shock absorber, particulars of which I sent you, but the installation is the difficult part; nevertheless it is so easy to make and keep silent that they are after it. More snow and ice to-day. My enthusiasm for motoring is flagging. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||