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).
Modifying a Bentley Le Mans engine for use in a motor boat, focusing on weight reduction.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\2\ scan0166 | |
| Date | 15th November 1937 | |
| 261B Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}26/R.15.11.37, Referring to Feddon's request for an engine for a motor boat, the Bentley engine which we prepared for Le Mans 18 months ago developed 165 h.p. through the gear-box (170 clutch h.p.) and ran 24 hours endurance at full throttle. If we leave off the dynamo and starter motor, the exhaust manifold and the air silencer, and halve the flywheel weight and make the bottom half of magnesium, we get a weight of about 495 lbs. The engine mounting accounts for another 23 lbs, but presumably when he talks of 500 lbs he means with the mounting included. With the high compression ratio there should be no difficulty about keeping the consumption at .5 pts per b.h.p. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||