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 addressing a customer's complaints about wheel wobble and squeaking brakes on their Bentley car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\2\ scan0084 | |
| Date | 6th February 1935 | |
| ✓796/b. Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson}4/KW. 6th February, 1935. A.H.R. Fedden, Esq., The Bristol Aeroplane Co.Ltd., Filton House, Bristol. Dear Fedden, Thank you for your letter of the 4th February. I note that you have had a recurrence of wheel wobble. This trouble, in conjunction with squeaking brakes, leaves us no alternative but to recommend that you have your cycle type wings removed. We must take exception to the remarks contained in the fifth paragraph of your letter, intimating that the Bentley car is up against some difficult problems and suffers from various defects, because apart from the faults which on your car have been brought about by your particular desire to have non-standard fittings - we refer to the cycle type wings and increased shock absorber loading - we consider that your car is a very good example of the large number of Bentleys which we have been turning out with eminently satisfactory results. We are only sorry that we did not dissuade you entirely from having these cycle type wings fitted in the first place, in the same way as we have dissuaded subsequent clients, but at that date we were not aware of their full disadvantages. We would remind you that it is not so long ago that you told Mr. Sidgreaves, our Managing Director, that your Bentley car was far and away the best motor-car that you had ever owned. I believe you are now comparing it with your Chrysler, whereas, as you well know, it should be compared with your Alfa-Romeo. | ||