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).
Arrangements for testing a B.III car and comparing its performance against other overdrive models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\1\ scan0241 | |
| Date | 28th October 1938 | |
| SECRET. 400 S/W. -> Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. " Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. " Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} c. " C c. " Bly{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} BENTLEY III Cx{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}1/KW28.10.38. Dict.27.10.38 With regard to the last paragraph of Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R25.10.38, would it be possible for you to arrange for me to come to Derby to try the B.III, which you have, on Wednesday, November 9th, bringing with me the overdrive Bentley that I am taking up to Glasgow for the Scottish Show, where I am due the next day ? This will be a great help to us, because we have a great many appointments for our overdrive Trials Cars at the moment, but as the car mentioned has been definitely kept free for its visit to Scotland it will not clash with any other appointments. It would I think be helpful and important if either you or Gry{Shadwell Grylls} could be present when I have the opportunity of trying the B.III and comparing it with the one I shall have with me. Would it not be possible to make our comparative tests, or some of them, at Donnington where we should not have the interruption of main road traffic and other disadvantages ? With regard to the other parts of your communication I think it is unfortunate that we were not given to understand that with regard to B.III we should not expect anything much over 4200 r.p.m. As you know, we have always had in mind a figure of 4500 r.p.m. on Bentley cars ever since they first came out, with a red sector on the speedometer dials which commences at 4500 revs. Furthermore, we have in our possession a memo Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry{Shadwell Grylls}6/R7938 telling us that at 4500 r.p.m. the overdrive gearbox will give us certain speeds on the various gears. We have assumed, in the absence of any information to the contrary, that the ratios chosen for the B.III would be the same as those on the "M" series overdrive. Also I was informed verbally by Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} at the Motor Exhibition that the speedometer on the B.III car which I tried was reading slow, whereas in the ordinary course of events we admit to 4 or 5% error in favour of the car. (cont) | ||