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 to Shell-Mex regarding the use of Ethyl fuel in experimental Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan313 | |
| Date | 30th May 1934 | |
| J1282 Exptl. Dept. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/MJ. 30th. May, 1934. L.G. Callingham Esq., Technical & Research Department, Messrs. Shell Mex & B.P. Ltd., P.O.Box No.148, Shell-Mex. House, Victoria Embankment, LONDON.W.C.2. Dear Mr. Callingham, Replying to your letter of the 29th. inst., it is a fact that at the present time we are using Ethyl Petrol on the Experimental Bentley cars which we are running. We are not using any Ethyl Fuel on any Production Bentleys. The reason we are using it on Experimental Bentley cars is because we know that with the No.1 fuels we have no troubles. With Ethyl fuel we get reduced life from exhaust valves. We are trying various experiments in connection with these and that is the reason of us using this fuel. Our recommendation to customers has not changed, i.e. we recommend No.1 fuels without Ethyl. If we get a special request to use Ethyl fuel we tell the customer that the car is designed to run on No.1 fuels and no advantage will be gained by using Ethyl fuels. We do not say that Ethyl fuels must not be used. Kind regards, Yours sincerely, | ||