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).
Correspondence regarding speed tests and speedometer accuracy for chassis 43-GX belonging to Baron Empain.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 47\3\ Scan136 | |
| Date | 24th July 1931 | |
| To "Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}" Derby Copy to "c" London x4117. SEVRES Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} is absent VA2/MLG.24.7.31 Re: Chassis-43-GX-Baron Empain With further reference to this customer's complaint and various correspondence between Works, London and Sevres about this chassis not being sufficiently fast enough, we are writing to you concerning the tests which we made prior to and after fitting the new H.C. cylinder head. The maximum speed obtained previous to the fitting of the new head was 130 k.p.h. as per speedometer reading, and the maximum speed obtained since fitting the new head and tuning up the engine was 145 kms per hour. Since carrying out the above tests we have had the speedometer advanced 4% previous to this the speedometer indicated a correct reading. We saw the driver recently and he informed us that the car is now giving satisfaction and he finds a big improvement, having, he claims, reached a speed of 144 k.p.h. with the speedometer which we lent to customer during the time which the original one was being attended to. As far as we could tell, the speedometer which we loaned was correct. We are aware that speed tests can only be effectively checked with the aid of a stop watch, we unfortunately do not possess one. The next time Baron Empain's standard Phantom 2 chassis via :161-GY is sent to us we will make a check of the speedometer. 1c/2 cb "Va" for "Hm{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs}" VA/2 | ||