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).
Design of a new pivot to increase ground clearance and rationalize the range.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 153\4\ scan0025 | |
| Date | 27th January 1940 | |
| 1300. To Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Ev{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}/Bastow. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}11/MH.{M. Huckerby}27.1.40. INCREASED GROUND CLEARANCE + RATIONALISED RANGE. We have been considering the requirements of the new pivot we are going to design for large tyres with less out-of-centre point. We want to be sure that what we do to this pivot will permit us to put a car on the road with Colonial ground clearance. We can assume that a Bentley for Colonial work will be fitted with 7" tyres. We suggest that the new pivot should give us approximately ½" less than Buick ground clearance on the Bentley with 7" tyres. This means raising the car about 2.00" on the pivot. At the same time, of course, we should like to reduce the cost of the pivot. In the recent snowy weather it has been brought home to us that we have too much out-of-centre point with the big tyres, the snow gets into the brake drums and causes uneven braking and the steering pulls. This new pivot should therefore have less out of centre. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||