Mock-up of a Wraith limousine and development plans for Bentley coachwork.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 7\5\ X 604 Body-page055 | |
| Date | 12th December 1936 | |
| 106G 604 Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and Ws. c. Pn. {Mr Northey} Ev. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Ps. Wv. E.3/HP.12.12.36. Wraith and Bentley Coachwork. This memo confirms that yesterday we saw the mock-up of the complete Wraith car fitted with the first body, which is a limousine with "E" steering and occasional seats. The general effect was very good but we felt that some alteration was needed to the shape of the front wings and the height of the bumper. This was carried out and the mock-up as modified was afterwards seen by Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and Cx. {Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} We have used "E" steering on this car for the comfort of the people who will hereafter have to drive it at Derby, but at the same time Park Ward's have always made a speciality of a limousine with a low steering rake. The occasional seats in this body are arranged to be close together in the middle of the floor instead of having a gap, and this has enormously improved the access both to the occasional seats and the rear seats. Driving visibility appears to be good with the "E" steering, the left hand sidelamp and wing being visible with a driver of normal stature. Mr Ward anticipates keeping to his undertaking to have this body ready by the end of December. We should now like to have permission to go ahead with a wooden model of Bentley III frame, radiator and bonnet, so that we can get to work on the shape of the wings. We have done a certain amount of development in this connection on the experimental Bentley fitted with the Citroen front suspension. We now wish to finalise this for the design of suspension that has been issued for Bentley III, and we also want to have a wooden model of the frame both to look at and for fitting on the body. If we start now the job will go along without being rushed. E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} | ||
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).