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).
Merits of fitting located jacks to Bentley cars, comparing them to systems on Rover and other sports cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 139\1\ scan0022 | |
| Date | 17th January 1936 | |
| HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} BY.Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} Re Bentley Jacks. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}8/E17.1.36 You will remember at the last conference the question was raised of fitting located jacks to the Bentley cars, but opposition was raised on the score of weight, which of course is reasonable, although we do find that the majority of other sports car makers, such as Lagonda, Alvis, Talbot and the Daimler 3½-litre all provide either the hydraulic located jack or the DWS. I agree that we need not do the same and can justify our attitude provided we improve our present jacking system. I have seen the scheme on the Rover car. I have tried to jack up both a Bentley and a Rover and I should infinitely prefer to jack up the latter on the road. I believe that Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} (or some one else at Derby) owns a Rover so that you can see the scheme quite easily. I enclose a cutting from the Rover catalogue from which you will see that the scheme briefly amounts to the provision at suitable points of four lugs. The jack head is specially shaped so that it easily fits into and hangs from the lugs. The advantages will be obvious as compared with the Bentley scheme where in the front one has to grovel in order to place the jack in a suitable position, and also at the back because on uneven ground on the Rover scheme the jack, which is hung on the lug, locates itself. The Rover car sells complete for about £300 so that I think you will agree that we ought to be able to give something at least as good - if not better - on our very much more expensive car. I would not necessarily say that the position for the lugs on the Rover car are the best, but that is a detail. Referring to the back of the car, they fit the lug underneath the back spring hanger, whereas we fit our place for the jack about half way along the back spring. If we are satisfied that this is the best spot, then there is no reason why we should not provide this lug arrangement there. | ||