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).
Test report on Mr Gordon Armstrong's modified Bentley car, focusing on its suspension and handling.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154\1\ scan0286 | |
| Date | 18th August 1936 | |
| W.E.S To Sg. {Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from E. {Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. Hs. {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Ey. Da. {Bernard Day - Chassis Design} EV. {Ivan Evernden - coachwork} E.1/HP.18.8.36. re Mr Gordon Armstrong's Bentley Car. I was very interested indeed to try the above car and the results show up in my opinion quite definitely some of the benefits we are going to derive from fitting independent front suspension with low rating springing to the Bentley. Hs {Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} /Rm {William Robotham - Chief Engineer} carried out a more extended test, and will no doubt give his impressions. From my own experience I found the comfort of the ride decidedly improved, more particularly in the rear seats. There was absence of steering reaction and the stability of the car on curves and corners appeared to be better generally. On the corners that I encountered which could be taken at a maximum speed of about 40 the car appeared to under steer, both front and rear tyres making a noise, and I understood that this characteristic manifested itself very strongly at higher speeds with faster corners. The steering was also somewhat heavy turning slowly. This last mentioned fault can perhaps be explained by the large number of joints in the steering mechanism incidental to the particular application tested. It has to be understood that Mr Armstrong has applied his suspension to the Bentley frame with practically no additional stiffness. It is true that he has added large tubes along the outside of the frame, but these do practically no good at all as they are only anchored to the side channels and there is no means of transmitting their torsional rigidity across the frame. The consequence is that the whole scheme is dependent on the use of the stabiliser bumper, and when the car is run on the road with this stabiliser bumper removed it becomes an impossible vehicle, thereby proving how absolutely necessary a new and stiffer frame is in connection with this type of suspension. Whereas on the car with the bumper the lamps and wings were very steady and the steering along the straight was beyond criticism, with the bumper removed | ||