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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).
Bumper-to-bumper test results between an S.2 Series car and a 1960 Pontiac Bonneville to assess overrider performance.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 26\1\  Scan092
Date  8th July 1960
  
To : Gxy

c :
LS FRM
Dor{Mr Dorey} JEB
JS{Mr Johnson's Secretary} MoP/LI
Dd VS{J. Vickers}
Gnr McF/VL{V. Lewis / Mr Valentine}
MoF

Kgt. 5. RJW. 8.7.60.

B.M.C. Overriders on S.2 Cars.

McF/VL{V. Lewis / Mr Valentine} has carried out a bumper-to-bumper test with the 1960 Pontiac Bonneville from which it is obvious that the B.M.C. overrider will not be suitable for fitting to cars destined for America. For this reason we think it will be essential to retain the existing 'sea lion' overriders on American cars; but we will start a Standardization sheet for the B.M.C. overrider for U.K and French cars (the latter to meet the new French regulations) as soon as an impact test has been carried out to determine whether the resistance to denting of the B.M.C. overrider is satisfactory.

For the record the results of McF/VL{V. Lewis / Mr Valentine}'s test were as follows:-

1) B.M.C. overrider on the front of an S series car against the Pontiac rear bumper: The S series car tends to dive under the Pontiac bumper and providing the impact was dead in line it would probably result in no damage but at other angles the fog lamps and front wings are vulnerable.

2) B.M.C. overrider on front of S series against Pontiac front bumper: The S series dives underneath the Pontiac bumper and damage is certain to the front of the Bentley radiator and to the fog lamps.

3) Sea Lion overrider on rear of S series against Pontiac front: There was very little clearance between the Pontiac bumper and the S series boot lid{A. J. Lidsey} handle and it was obvious that anything less than the sea lion would inevitably result in damage. The nose of the sea lion would tend to prevent the S series from diving underneath the higher Pontiac bumper.

The height of the Pontiac bumpers from the ground was:

* Front 20 1/2"
* Rear 21 1/2"

Kgt.

[Handwritten note next to a diagram of a bumper profile]
Bumper Section
NO Overriders
  
  


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