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).
Test drive report and list of faults for Chassis 104-MY.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\4\ Scan051 | |
| Date | 16th June 1933 | |
| x7960 To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} E.2/HP.16.6.33. Chassis 104-MY. I drove the above car from Derby to Stratford-on-Avon and back last Saturday, and the following are the impressions gained, and a list of the faults known and otherwise existing on this car:- As a sample of a complete P.II Rolls-Royce the car is disappointing. It feels heavy and lacking in acceleration, and there is much more noise than one would expect on a car of this class, particularly at high speed. Most of this noise appears to be due to air scrubbing effects on the body. We understand from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Lid.{A. J. Lidsey} that this is due to the general shape of the body rather than to the eddy free front although all eddy free fronts that we have tried hitherto have been noisy at high speed somewhat like Burney's streamline car in which it was difficult to carry on a conversation at the front. The engine does not seem to be particularly quiet but this impression may be rather conveyed by the effect of it not running slowly owing to some fault in the carburetter. The car on 3rd gear is very good and the gear noise is entirely unobjectionable. Perhaps the most serious fault in this car was the effect on all three occupants after each ride. There must be some escape of exhaust gas into the body and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Lid{A. J. Lidsey} says that this is very likely due to the long tail overlapping the exhaust outlet. At times there was a strong smell of petrol. We assume the brakes are not in a normal condition. They pulled the steering over to the left when running fast, and were so noisy pulling up we reverted to the hand brake. Twice when pulling up we had a front brake jagger. As regards the steering we should undoubtedly expect a customer to criticise this feature. It snatches badly at times and also gives a general impression of heaviness when manoeuvring. | ||