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).
Merits of using the J.I versus the J.II engine for the new Bentley 'Bensport' car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page118 | |
| Date | 14th November 1932 | |
| H3 84553 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Bensport Engine. Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} ~~Blr-Er~~ Referring to R1/M2.11.32 I was at Derby on Wednesday and this matter was discussed in conference. One of the main attractions of using J.I unit for Bensport is that it is already a tested and proved unit requiring practically no re-designing or experimental work to be carried out on it and, therefore, by using it we ought to be able to get out a new Bentley car quickly. If we delay the production of the new Bentley car much longer than the early part of next year, it is quite obvious that we are going to lose a good part of the goodwill. If we were to adopt the suggestion of introducing J.II engine into Bensport, it would throw it back very considerably; it would throw more work on our already congested design department and in consequence would delay J.II itself, the production of which is of great importance. Another attraction in regard to using J.I is that it would enable us to obtain further commercial use from the existing jigs and tools and would have the advantage by comparison with J.II that the Bentley was not fitted with all the latest improvements of the RR.20/25. We have always expected that we should have to sell the Bentley considerably cheaper than the 20/25, even if it does not cost us less, and it would be very difficult to explain this if it were to all intents and purposes J.II so far as the engine unit was concerned. You enquire whether the capacity is suitable for competitions. We are not worrying about this. In fact we are almost rather pleased that, in dropping the super-charged model we shall probably find it easier to keep out of racing and such like matters. We are very anxious to test the possibilities of | ||