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).
Arrangements for a 24-hour performance trial, including track hire, competitor records, and modifications to the car's jacks and instrument panel.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 160\3\ scan0251 | |
| Date | 15th February 1939 guessed | |
| Nº 2. ----- HIRING OF TRACK. I have arranged this for the 24-Hours attempt, and the Timekeepers will also be available at any time required. I have the last week in March and first week in April, as both the time and track attempt records are available. There is, however, a Meeting at Montlhéry on Sunday 19th March, and we should further have to allow them a day to clear the track, to carry out any practice, or make any record attempt, otherwise Montlhéry is free until the 16th April, when there is another Meeting. The Grand Prix de Pau takes place on April 2nd, but this will not in any way interfere with the Timekeepers in Paris. As regards International class records, there are none to be obtained in the 24-hours, as Bugatti has finished this up to 200 kms per hour. There is only the 48-Hours at an average of 168 Kms by Delahaye, and I think that 48 hours altogether is unnecessary. The main object of the 100 kms per hour average over 24-hours, is a performance trial, and it is possible to get an official description of your car registered by the Commission Sportive of the Automobile Club de France, who will afterwards issue a certificate giving this description, together with the performance of the car in miles per hour and kilometres per hour, as well as the distance run. JACKS. The question of Jacks has got to be looked into very carefully. We could manufacture them over here out of soldered tubes, but we should be advised early of the necessity for our doing this. THE CAR. From former experience down at Montlhéry, it is considered necessary to have the instruments grouped in a different position to the present one. It would be advisable to see Mr Eyston about this. In my opinion he should sit in the car, and the position of the instruments be fixed at that moment, the idea being to group the instruments directly on the top of the column, in front of the steering wheel. Adequate lighting should be given to these instruments, and one should be very careful about this owing to the tendency of this "V" shaped windscreen reflecting the lighting of the instrument board into the windscreen. It has been found that the great Homa lights in the semi-dimmed position - whereby we mean not completely pulled out - are satisfactory if the instruments are closer to the driver's view. The type of Homa lamp used on this car is particularly | ||