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).
The condition and performance of a customer's 3.5-Litre Bentley after 56,000 miles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\4\ scan0215 | |
| Date | 23th December 1937 | |
| By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. W/S - Bly.{B. W. Bleaney - Bentley Sales} 261 (3) Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/R.23.12.37. 3½-Litre Bentley B.72.FB. J.W.E. Banks. This owner called at the Works yesterday with his 3½-litre Bentley which has done 56,000 miles without decarbonization. We tried the car and the engine appeared to be in wonderfully good condition. There were no signs of detonation. Judging from the oil pressure the bearings were in good condition. This may have been partly due to the fact that a 100 m.p.h. rear axle ratio was fitted. The car has been run exclusively on Discol; a single case of leakage from the petrol pump diaphragm being the only trouble experienced. The oil consumption is about 1,000 m.p.g. The thing that really matters about a car is how it behaves on the road, and not what it looks like, and, therefore, we did not insist that we should have the car for examination immediately. We suggested, however, that we should be allowed to look at the big ends before the fine weather sets in, when high speed driving can be indulged in. Curiously enough, this customer has never had a sign of brake squeaks. The car's performance is such a tribute to Discol that we are going to carry out some comprehensive tests on this fuel as at present marketed. Mr. Banks was impressed by the Lagonda, but really only wanted some good reason to buy another Bentley. It seemed fairly certain that had he been able to try 6.B.IV he would have bought a new car. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||