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).
Overheating, plug trouble, brakes, fuel starvation, and arranging a test drive at Brooklands.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\3\ Scan036 | |
| Date | 1st January 1930 guessed | |
| -3- Yet the point is one of very considerable importance because this trouble of over-heating might quite easily be met with in severe mountaineering. I anticipate that you are quite well aware of this characteristic, and if I remember rightly is attributed to the exudation of a certain binding constituent in the Ferodo or other material which becomes slippery when excessively heated. What about this ? The plug trouble referred to can, I think, be looked upon as being purely local to the chassis in question, and that particular run, but what is more worthy of consideration is the statement that if the car be run for any length of time at maximum speed, the power will gradually fall, without evidence of misfire. My only personal experience of this condition was on the road from Paris to Chateauroux when we found that either the air-pump was inadequate, or the petrol filter, by becoming too hot tended to let the petrol arrive at a state of foam. Your remarks on this point would be appreciated. We are not worried about the statements concerning relative acceleration of our cars and the other two cars referred to. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} thinks that it might be useful, as early as possible, if you and I were to take this car over Brooklands, and try and repeat some of the conditions which Segrave refers to. I would [struck through] think it would be very useful to establish just how far the criticisms in respect of brakes and starvation of fuel at continued high speeds are justified. We have no demonstration car at the moment which is not pursuing its programme in the provinces. Is it likely you can bring down a suitable and equivalent car in order that the test might be made early next week ? PN.{Mr Northey} Later. Since writing the above I find that 1-WJ can be available on Monday and Wednesday, probably the latter date would be better having regard to appointments which have been made. | ||