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).
Excessive vibration issues with chassis 81-TW.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 25\3\ Scan071 | |
Date | 22th March 1922 | |
TO EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c.c. to BJ., C. & Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} RE. CHASSIS 81-TW. I have had an opportunity of forming an opinion about the behaviour of this car now since you had it for a week at the Works. I also read your pencilled notes carefully which accompanied the car. Whilst I appreciate that your department has done all in its power within the times available, I regret that I am not able to avoid the impression that the amount of vibration of the engine when picking up on top gear between 20 and 23 miles an hour, is excessive and abnormal, and in any case, to my mind this vibration which can be felt all over the car at the period mentioned, would be distinctly harmful to the R.R. reputation if this car was used generally for demonstrating work. Undoubtedly a skilled driver may be able to camouflage in a variety of known ways the fact that this vibration is endeavouring to take charge, but there are nowadays owner-drivers to be met who insist upon the accelerator being put hard down between, say, 10 miles an hour and 30 along a stretch of road, when this characteristic has no chance of being hidden or softened in any way. There are still sundry resonant details about the car which can doubtless be improved, but to my mind the trouble lies initially in the fact that vibrations are produced to an abnormal extent. What do you now propose? Shall I send the car to you for, say, a fortnight, during which time you would have an opportunity of doing all in your power experimentally and otherwise? If so, and in the event of your not being able to improve greatly the condition now being discussed, we shall have no alternative but to sell the car. Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the liveliness and acceleration of this car has fallen off materially since I had it in operation and in any case my impression is that it compares very badly in this respect with 107-MG now on the Riviera. PN.{Mr Northey} | ||