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 discussing Bentley overheating, a streamlined car project for Mr. Fedden, and chassis speed issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\1\ Scan120 | |
| Date | 11th June 1934 | |
| W/P - Sr. +1961 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/KW.11.6.34 Glad to hear business is at last reviving in France. We should be glad to know whether in your various runs you find any sign of the Bentley overheating, particularly on hill climbing. You will remember that the temperature will rise to 90º on the flat owing to the wind pressure tending to close the shutters but we do not expect the car ever to boil. You will remember I told you that we were going to make the streamlined car into a full scale practical automobile to see what speed we lost. Here are some pictures of the automobile in question which was constructed for Mr. Fedden of the Bristol Aeroplane Co. It has as much room in it as the standard Bentley. The essential features to get any benefit from the streamlining are the cycle type front wings. This car lapped Brooklands at 93 1/4 m.p.h. with a standard engine, which means that it would certainly do over a genuine 100 m.p.h. on the road. Please return the blue print when you have had a look at it, and also the photographs as I have no spares. I have looked up those two chassis numbers that you gave me and I find that they both should have the cut-out, 12/41 axle and 7 x 19" wheels, so that provided the cut-out was open I cannot understand their lack of speed. It is conceivable that something is wrong with the speedometers, for both cars should give a genuine 90 m.p.h. under favourable conditions. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Att: 4 photographs of Mr. Fedden's car and 1 blue print, Drg.No:9794. | ||