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).
Costs and considerations for fitting high compression cylinder heads and Aerolite pistons to Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\1\ Scan273 | |
| Date | 18th April 1935 | |
| 40/3 W/P - Sr. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}14/KW.18.4.35. High Compression Cylinder Heads - Bentley. Replying to Sr2/Crn.16.4.35. A short time ago I got some figures out for fitting Aerolite pistons and the high compression cylinder head. The figures were as follows :- Labour £13.10.0d. New cyl. head including valves, approx. £20.15.0d. New Pistons £ 7.10.0d. The labour figure is nett cost without profit, the cylinder head represents the nett cost plus the Works profit. The only point about the Aerolite pistons is that it would be undesirable to fit them to a customer's car if he had done a lot of mileage, because they would not take happily to bores that have worn appreciably. I must say incidentally that I should feel happier if lead bronze bearings were fitted with high compression cylinder heads, though unless customers drive furiously this is really not essential. I took up with Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} the question of fitting lead bronze bearings at the factory to all cars going to France, with high compression heads, and whilst he was not opposed to this, said that before doing anything he would like to know how many sets you had already fitted and what experience had been obtained. This seemed to be a reasonably request, and I should be glad if you would circulate the information in question. With regard to the oils for lead bronze bearings, our experience is of course limited to having run on Wakefield's Tonic XL in France. We have run various other oils at Derby without trouble, but not seriously. Incidentally, do not quote my cost figures because though I happen to know they are correct, they are unofficial. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} | ||