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).
Letter discussing vehicle performance issues including brakes, accommodation, oil consumption, and fuel mixtures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0300 | |
| Date | 20th May 1936 | |
| W/S - Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/KW.20.5.36. Dear Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales}, Many thanks for your letter of the 12th May. The brakes are having attention. The lack of body accommodation is difficult, particularly as we already produce the 20/25 where performance is sacrificed to comfort. Do you not think that if we spoil the performance of the Bentley by increasing the accommodation, we shall catch some of the 20/25 customers and lose some of the Bentley clientele ? We agree that the oil consumption has been a potential source of complaint. You might give us a little more information on this because the trouble we have bumped into is that the piston rings which control the oil consumption take some little time to settle down, and for the first 2,000 miles of the car's life the consumption steadily improves, being perhaps 500 m.p.g. to start with and finishing at 1,500 m.p.g. The only other case of poor consumption we know of is when the car has done about 40,000 miles or over. Perhaps you would confirm this or otherwise. We will arrange for the insertion of a recommendation for Lead or Benzole mixture in the Instruction Book. Lappin ran his car a long way on Discol mixture, but the car was smashed up before the completion of the test. As far as I know he had no trouble. Will let you know about the Wolseley in due course. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||