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).
From Paris raising queries about Michelin tyres, a mysterious bracket, the 25/30 HP gear lever, and Bentley tyre pressures.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\1\ scan0376 | |
| Date | 7th September 1938 | |
| Memo from Paris 3. queries 1245. FJH{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} AHH. Rolls-Royce Ltd. Derby.........Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GRY.{Shadwell Grylls} Showrooms Sr2/MLG.7.9.38 1°) We shall be despatching to you today 4 wheels fitted with Michelin pilot tyres and rims. These have been supplied to us by the Michelin Experimental Department and are more appropriate for the Bentley than the other tyres and wheels you received some time ago. I tried these on my car and there is no doubt that they have great advantage but the tyres are in my opinion too big for the steering of the present Bentley. I should imagine they would be very nice on the Motor Show type Bentley owing to the marles steering. However, if you will experiment them and give us your report, I will communicate same to Michelin. You know we are very anxious to keep in with these people with whom we do lot of business and quite a few of our customers are clamering for the Michelin Pilot tyres which have a remarkable reputation in this country. 2°) The enclosed sketch represents a mistery which I would like to clear up before the technical motor paper reporters come along and ask us for an explanation. This bracket, I suppose, is intended to have a rubber/buffer attachment. At present on all the 25/30 HP we have received for the Motor Show there is no mode of attachment. Shall we be receiving instructions to bolt this up in some way or other ? If not, should the bracket be removed as it looks rather extraordinary? 3°) Why is the gear shift lever on the 25/30 HP so much higher than on the Phantom III ? This does not make entry and exit any the easier. There seems no reason why the lever should not be shorter as owing to the beautiful action of the gear box which can only be described by the French expression "une cuiller dans la{L. A. Archer} cr{Mr Cra???ster / Mr Chichester}ème". Shortening the lever would not have the same effect as it does when we shorten the Bentley levers, i.e. stiffen up to a disagreeable extent the action of the gear box. Finally, what pressure do you recommend for 6.50 x 17" tyres fitted to the Motor Show type Bentley. Hoping to see you in the course of the month and apologizing for so many questions. Yours sincerely, Walter S. | ||