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).
1935 visit to the USA to research automobile engineering, chassis issues, and industry trends.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 173\4\ img196 | |
| Date | 2nd January 1936 | |
| File To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Ry. c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hdy.{William Hardy} c. to Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}10/Kv.2.1.36. VISIT TO U.S.A. - 1935. Ds. and the writer paid a short visit to the States, primarily to determine the cures for certain troubles on the Ph.III chassis, and also to collect the latest information available on automobile engineering. Everywhere we were received in an almost royal manner. In particular, Cadillac's and the G.M. organisation arranged that their technical people should answer any questions we had, provide drawings of any assembly in which we were interested, and supplied transport to their distant factories. No concern other than Ford showed any unwillingness to discuss experimental results or future development, the Briggs Body people even showing us future designs to which no company in the States has access. The trend of development is to produce a light, lively car with a soft ride and unobtrusive engine, free from such troubles as front end movement and steering joggles. To achieve this object it is considered that for anything other than a huge car, the engine must be short to provide sufficient frame stiffness and permit seating the rear passengers forwards of the rear axle. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} thought that equal improvements were provided for the rear seat ride by soft front springs of the same deflection as the rear, and moving the rear seat forwards of the axle. In the States the V-8 engine is therefore considered as the correct line of development. No work has yet been done on a V-8 having more than 3 main bearings, so that the improvement of 5 bearings is not known, but Cadillac's have succeeded in making a V-8 less obtrusive at all times than any R.R. engine. If the position were not what it is and we had not our present knowledge of 6 cylinder arrangements but were starting anew to make a 5 litre car, we should advise a V-8 engine with the dashboard moved forward as far as possible permitted by the short engine. As the development of a side valve 6 cylinder system would take a long time, and owing to the necessarily conservative shape of a R.R. car in which the dashboard will not be the furthest forward possible, we do not recommend departing | ||