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).
Customer Mr. Hawkins' complaints regarding his new Bentley, specifically about suspension, heavy steering, exhaust noise, and flooding carburetters.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90\3\ scan0177 | |
| Date | 16th May 1935 | |
| To Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} +W61 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}6/KW.16.5.35. L. Hawkins - B-106-DG. This owner complains that his present car is not as nice as his first Bentley, which was one of the first series. I have tried to convince him that it is not as bad as he thinks, but he remains with four definite complaints :- (1) Suspension. (2) Steering heavy. (3) More exhaust noise in the body than his previous car. (4) Carburetters flooding. The carburetter flooding job was a very serious one, as he had to be towed in from the centre of London traffic. We are taking up this matter separately with the Works and are sending you a copy of the memo. In our opinion we ought to be inspecting S.U. Carburetters when they come into the factory, because they seem to be definitely incapable of producing a consistently reliable production job. Mr. Hawkins is calling for his car on Wednesday next. I think we might definitely apply our Depot Sheet for heavier steering, in order to lighten his. By-the-way, you should get a letter from him to-morrow, enumerating his complaints. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||