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).
Coachbuilding for Bentley cars, focusing on streamline designs and issues with show cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\1\ scan0333 | |
| Date | 6th November 1934 | |
| -2- Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} C2/06.11.34 Show to the Paris Coachbuilders because they were building/bodies for Bentleys for the first time. You, however, were unable to go as, for one reason, you were busily engaged upon the 'SpectreCodename for Phantom III' body, but after that you wrote as follows:- "We are commencing this tour as soon as we have visited all the leading Coachbuilders in London concerning their Show cars. We anticipate leaving early next week." This tour refers to a tour that you then proposed making to the Provincial coachbuilders. It will therefore be seen that at that time you were fully alive to the fact that you were expected to help the Coachbuilders re the Show cars, and I should like to know why you are now seeking to say that you were not aware that this Streamline Bentley body was being built, and call our attention to its undesirability. It must here be remembered that Streamline cars had become popular talk with the Public and with Technical Journals - probably originated by the latter - and many of the Coachbuilders were naturally anxious to see what they could do in this respect. Moreover for Olympia we have always given Coachbuilders a certain amount of latitude in the pure design, so long as our requirements in the way of weight and safety are reasonably kept to. As regards the three for stock, this is an entirely different matter, and these three bodies have been ordered on the condition that they will not go beyond our limit of weight, etc. Therefore we can refuse delivery if they fail. As is our regular practice, you were asked to visit the Coachbuilders and satisfy yourself that there was nothing technically wrong or objectionable. The result of such visits is contained in criticisms in your memo. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}7/IM31.8.34. These criticisms were discussed in detail with you and modifications settled upon to overcome them; these you approved. These three bodies differ from the Show bodies in many respects, more particularly in weight distribution and the absence of unnecessary extras, such as radio sets, etc. The cars at Olympia were overloaded with accessories. It is, | ||