Rolls-Royce 30 hp
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Rolls-Royce 30 hp | |
---|---|
6-cylinder. | |
Transmission | four-speed |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 112 in (2,845 mm) or 118 in (2,997 mm) |
Length | 157 in (3,988 mm) or 158.75 in (4,032 mm) |
Chronology | |
Successor | 40/50 (Silver Ghost) |
The Rolls-Royce 30 hp was one of four cars to be produced as a result of an agreement of 23 December 1904 between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce.[2] Badged as a Rolls-Royce,[i] the 30 hp was produced during 1905 and 1906 by Royce's company, Royce Ltd. at its factory in Cooke Street, Hulme, Manchester. It was sold exclusively by Rolls' motor dealership, C.S.Rolls & Co., at a price of GBP 890.[ii] The engine was exhibited at the Paris Salon in December 1904, along with the 10 hp, 15 hp and 20 hp models.
Engine
The engine is made of three
A single Royce
A four-speed transmission carried over from the "Light" 20 hp model[4] is connected to the engine via a short shaft. On this transmission, third gear is direct and fourth speed an overdrive ratio. A leather-faced cone clutch is used.
Crankshaft
The crankshaft is carried in seven main bearings in an attempt to keep vibration to a minimum, a problem on many early six-cylinder engines, as the dynamics of the layout were still not fully understood. Flywheels are fitted at both the front and rear of the crankshaft. After some early cars suffered broken crankshafts Royce modified the front flywheel to incorporate a harmonic damper which overcame the problem.[4]
Car
The car has a top speed of 55 mph (89 km/h).
Two chassis lengths were made, the short is 112 in (2,845 mm) in length and the long 118 in (2,997 mm). The track is the same on both lengths at 56 in (1,422 mm).[1] Rolls-Royce did not provide the coachwork. Instead, the cars were sold in chassis form for the customer to arrange their own body supplier. Both closed and open cars were made. Of the 37 or possibly 38 cars made, three were exported to the US, one to Canada and one to Germany.[4]
Only one car, a short wheelbase model with chassis number 26355 is known to survive.[1]
References
- ^ Rolls-Royce was not formed as a company until 1906.
- ^ In chassis only form.
- ^ a b c Bird & Hallows (2002).
- ^ Pugh (2001).
- ^ a b Rolls-Royce Motor Cars website
- ^ a b c Morton (1964).
- Morton, C.W. (1964). A History of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. Vol. 1. Bentley. ISBN 978-0854290031.
- Pugh, Peter (2001). The Magic of a Name - The Rolls-Royce Story: The First 40 Years. Icon Books. ISBN 1-84046-151-9.
- Bird, Anthony; Hallows, Ian (2002). The Rolls-Royce Motor Car. Batsford Books. ISBN 0-7134-8749-6.
- Clarke, Tom C. (2003). Royce and the Vibration Damper. Technical Series. ISBN 1-872922-18-X. Nº 6.