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).
Test drive report and feedback on Chassis B.214.GA, detailing performance and issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 83\3\ scan0165 | |
| Date | 27th March 1941 | |
| To Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wym.{G. Harold Whyman - Experimental Manager} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 200 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}2/ST.27.3.41. CHASSIS B.214.GA. ------------------ It was very interesting to run this car to Crewe and back. I was very impressed with the smoothness of the engine and also with the carburation. It makes one realise how poor the carburation is on 12.B.V. One gets instant response from the Bentley II when one depresses the accelerator at any speed. The brakes were evidently bedding down, as the foot brake travel increased rapidly. The worst feature of the car was the steering. The high geared Bentley II ratio with a good deal of self centering is quite normal, but the car oversteers and the column shakes more than it should on this model. With regard to oversteering, this can be enormously improved by putting Dunlop tyres in front and India on the back, or alternatively lowering the front pressure, but this latter procedure makes steering heavier than ever and so is not very desirable. The column shake may be improved tremendously by removing the stabilising bumper and this should be tried. There seems to be rather an excess of tappet noise considering the dashboard installation. Is this faulty? or alternatively is the noise coming through the thermometer? The low oil pressure surprised me; 20 lbs. pressure at maximum when the car is thoroughly warm, 10 lbs at 1500 r.p.m. This is hardly enough. There are three points in connection with the coachwork: 1 - The spare wheel carrier requires supporting from the mud wing. 2 - The off side front window rattles in its channel. 3 - The driving seat would be better if it was raised slightly. It will be interesting to get performance and consumption figures compared with B.V, when both are running at exactly the r.p.m./mile. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||