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 the progress on a streamline car project, including the wooden working model, chassis, and axle considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 161\1\ scan0078 | |
| Date | 31th January 1938 | |
| Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd., D E R B Y . . . . . . . . . . . .Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Streamline cars. Dear Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, On Saturday I went to the coachbuilders who are working for us on this job, in collaboration with M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Paulin, and I was agreably surprised to find these people have completely built the body, wings, radiator and all in wood, mainly 3-ply, so as to have a working model. They state, and I am prepared to believe them as the above mentioned working model is so beautifully done, that there is not more than a millimetre difference between one wing and another, etc., and the wind tunnel test model. Incidentally this model is full scale, and there is no extra charge to a customer, as they are all keenly interested. It certainly looks a very nice job. We are now very seriously thinking about the chassis. I took Mr Embricos round the houses in your Chateauroux Bentley with the large tyres and Marles steering. He was not over enthusiastic about the steering, and therefore decided to stick to the standard car as it is at present. What do you think ? If we stick to the standard car, I presume that we can get a chassis almost immediately. Will you or "W" fit the special high geared axle, to avoid our dismantling and reassembling over here ? In the latter case, what gears will you fit ? In other words, what maximum speedwould you aim at in top gear at 4,500 revs ? You will remember that I obtained Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}'s authorization to have special rear axle gears fitted to this car. I think that Grylls wrote to Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} on this subject, and mentioned one or two different ratios. As we are going to attend to the radiator modifications ourselves over here, there are two important points :- a) what is the maximum and minimum amounts of movement that one should have to give to the radiator, seeing that when we have modified its position it will no longer be held down by our standard bonnet, which keeps it in position ? We will have to fit up some silent-bloc system to keep the radiator from falling off. W............... | ||