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 concerning a customer's complaint about a gearbox judder on a Bentley car and a proposed modification.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\3\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 11th October 1934 | |
| £8. £12 S/W (Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}) - per bag. c. to Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} H2/H11.10.34. Complaint case. Sir Stanley White, Bt.{Capt. J. S. Burt - Engineer} - B.33-BL. We thank you for your Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}7/KW10.10.34. and for the copies of your two letters to Mr. Fedden, and which have reference to his Bentley car 189-AE, but are also important in connection with the above owner's complaint. Yesterday, we received a letter from Sir Stanley White with a strong complaint of the judder which sometimes arises when starting the car from a standstill on the first and second gear. This owner expresses considerable annoyance and says that he understands Mr. Fedden, also of the Bristol Aeroplane Co., has had similar trouble; that Bentley Motors have had several cases of it and have traced it to some fault in the design of the gearbox. He further understands that arrangements have already been made for Mr. Fedden's car to be returned to W. to be put right. On receipt of this complaint, Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} asked me to 'phone you on the trunk call yesterday to ascertain what had been promised to Mr. Fedden and whether you had informed him of the gearbox modification which has been designed to overcome this trouble and whether you proposed to fit it. Unfortunately, I could not get you on the phone and as we had to write to Sir Stanley last night, we did so as per attached copy. You will see that we have undertaken that whatever you do to eliminate the trouble on Mr. Fedden's car you will be prepared to do also for Sir Stanley White's car, and we think we can leave it to you as to what is to be done, even if it means fitting the modification above referred to, which we believe costs the Company something in the neighbourhood of £12. On the other hand, it seems important not to mention to either owner that we have a modification, even if it is fitted, because the criticism of this rattle on the Bentley cars is fairly general, owing largely to customers trying to start their cars in all circumstances on second speed with low engine revs. and we do not want to receive a lot of | ||