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).
Cost reduction and design of the Bentley SO radiator.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 112\1\ scan0031 | |
| Date | 18th February 1938 | |
| To Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Da{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}/Lv. c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} 1044 850 Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.11/JW.18.2.38. BENTLEY SO RADIATOR. We presume that you will shortly be scheming the Bentley SO radiator and are anxious that we shall start with the most inexpensive construction possible in every detail. For this purpose it will be necessary to include all the cost reducing modifications included on Bentley III and Wraith radiators together with any further ones which can be devised. We have already sent you some suggestions in Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std.3/WH.5.1.38. and have recently discussed the cost of the Bentley III radiator with Messrs. Marstons, who were intending to quote us for supplying same complete. They gave the writer the rough figure of £17.10.0d. (this is not an accurate estimate based on detail estimates) This compares with £25. for our past standard Bentley II radiator, £21.0.0d. for our present 'M' series Bentley radiator (includes thermostat scheme necessitated for our fixed shutters) and £8.10.0d. for the S.S. Jaguar 3 1/2 litre radiator. It is obvious that if the Bentley SO radiator is going to be relatively inexpensive, it will be necessary to reduce the cost compared with Bentley III considerably. Accordingly Messrs. Marstons are going to send us within 7-10 days time a rough scheme of the Bentley III radiator as they would design it commercially if asked to do so by any other firm of car manufacturers, i.e. given the same mounting, water connection positions, lie up with head lamp and wind mountings and external appearance as the present Bentley III radiator In addition as soon as Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} has a completed drawing of the shell if the B.50 radiator, we are consulting Messrs. Marstons as to cost and appearance of various type of grille. | ||