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).
Vehicle performance and comfort following a road test, detailing issues with suspension, rattles, fuel consumption, and instrument visibility.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 108\1\ scan0279 | |
| Date | 28th January 1938 | |
| - 2 - reasonably good but wavy and lumpy. Under these conditions the springing would require some modification because we were riding almost continually on the buffers. The effect was to feel a continuity of distinct thumps through the steering column, and of course a certain solidity in the riding of the car. This was not apparent on ordinary main roads except very occasionally over a humpback bridge or some such condition. I got the impression that the buffer clearances were not sufficient or that the springing was too soft, although one would be reluctant to feel that the springing should be stiffened to prevent this effect. There are probably other ways of achieving the proper results. I made a point of riding for 50 or 60 miles in the back of the car, and got the impression that the general riding comfort was of a high order. I tried reading a newspaper for some time, and found that whilst this was reasonably possible there was quite naturally some room for improvement here. I should like to feel that the recommended pressures for the rear tyres could be slightly less than the present figure of 30 lbs. The front tyres are recommended to be run at 25. Any reduction in pressure, if only to 28 lbs, would probably still further improve the riding and make reading more easily possible. Other minor details which I understand are receiving attention, but which made themselves apparent during the day, were - a rattle in the steering column accentuated when turning to the left; petrol surging out of the tank filler pipe over the paintwork when doing some strenuous cornering; a vibration rather noticeable on the brake pedal when braking from 50 m.p.h. downwards at speeds between 50 and 40 m.p.h ; a slight period noticeable from the engine between 45 - 47 m.p.h. when pulling. The petrol consumption appears to be heavy, and worked out at only 12 m.p.g. The visibility of the instruments could, I think, be improved, firstly, because the instruments are in a vertical position and a long way below the eye level of the driver, which fundamentally seems wrong, and secondly, because when driving at night the white light around the rim of the instruments, which illuminates the figures and pointers, is open to the driver's vision (contd) | ||