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).
Design and performance improvements for upcoming car models codenamed 'China' and 'Japan', covering suspension, power unit, axle, and clutch alterations.
| Identifier | WestWitteringFiles\V\October1930-February1931\ Scan102 | |
| Date | 25th November 1930 | |
| PS. FROM R.{Sir Henry Royce} C. to WOR.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} PY [struck through] C. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} C. [struck through] C. to PN.{Mr Northey} CX{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} [struck through] ORIGINAL [stamp] 25HP. - 18-G-S RECEIVED 28 NOV 1930 [stamp] R2/W25.11.30. X577° This latest 'China' (due here by the 25th.) will introduce some improvements in appearance and performance. These will be ready for the next move - 'Japan' - with still better performance in quality and speed, and more economy in design, but not enough to reduce the cost sufficiently unless the materials and charges are less. It is now understood that the best suspension is single point fore and aft, with two or four very flexible rubber mounted feet taking only torque - i.e. not weight of power unit [word 'power unit' is struck through]. WW. gave Derby these some time ago but for reasons of steering it was thought they could not be adopted. I think this car as seen by me today is a great improvement, and a much better all-round car than anything we have previously made, but I am not claiming that it is perfectly free from vibrations which will make anything "tuned in" respond with them - i.e. it has a powerful reciprocating, explosively energised power unit which has vigorous impulses, and much exchange of energy and high internal stresses. We altered this car during the last few weeks to a hypoid axle to avoid the blemishes on the floor with such a low car, and we fitted a somewhat lighter flywheel which is reported to be quite clear of the 3000 RPM. vibration. This new clutch and flywheel with a new fabric, and the features of the P. 2. has resulted in a most beautiful clutch, far better than the old 20HP. It has the imperfections of loss of pedal stroke due to the deflection of the aluminium plate. The design is being modified and the new part should be sent to Mr. Hancock in France. R.{Sir Henry Royce} | ||