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).
Visibility of instruments on a Bentley and suggesting modifications to the scuttle rail.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 138\2\ scan0228 | |
| Date | 29th May 1933 | |
| X 231 To E.V. from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. Wg.{Mr Gill - Financial Director} Wer. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} E.2/HP.29.5.33. re Bentley Instruments. When driving the second and third Bentleys it is not possible to see all of the instruments perfectly owing to the position of the scuttle rail which appears to be lower than on No.1. Bentley. The lower edge of the rail cuts off the view of the central patch half way up the dials of the ammeter and thermometer, and obscures about a quarter of the dial of the speedometer. We are rather concerned about this as we would like to put our warning red light for the battery ignition in the top of the central patch, which is the most convenient position for its accommodation, and where it will be somewhat shielded by the scuttle from competition by open daylight or sunlight in the case of an open car, or sunshine roof. The top of the scuttle seems well below the line of vision when driving, which suggests that the scuttle rail might be raised bodily, or alternatively By/RD suggests that the scuttle rail might be cut away, as shown in the sketch, leaving bosses to accommodate the wiper handles. [Text on sketch] WARNING LIGHT SHADED AREA CUT AWAY We do not know if this suggestion is applicable as it may not leave enough room for the wiper drive to be got in, but no doubt you can say. It is possible that we can put the red light somewhere else lower down on the instrument panel, but we | ||