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).
Different types of shock absorbers for Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\3\ scan0114 | |
| Date | 13th March 1934 | |
| H3 x242 To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}Br. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design}Hdv. re Bentley Shock Absorbers. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}7/E13.3.34 Referring to E.8/HP.10.3.34 and Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}4/KW.9.3.34 I have noted with interest all that is said. I rather think Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, in referring to controllable shock dampers with Aerons control, which had run 16,000 miles on J.III, was confusing it with some which were fitted up on one of the 20/25 experimental cars, either 18- or 19-G-IV. Referring to the controllable type now fitted to the Bentley 10,000 miles car, it is clear from the Minutes of conference held at Derby on the 20th December 1933 that I emphasized the view that an adjustable control to the shock dampers was very desirable at an early date on the Bentley car. If I remember correctly, I was given to understand that the AH controllable type could not be fitted to the Bentley for some reason of clearance. Possibly, however, I may be confusing this with inability to fit the Andre type of hand control, but anyhow I do remember being given to understand that we could not expect to have the controllable type at any rate for a very long time, and when told about the other type which could be adjusted by hand I said this was better than nothing and it was, as E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} says, with the idea that a man going on the Continent would be able to increase the amount of damping. If, however, the riding, when the car is slowed down to go through towns etc. is, as Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} says, terrible, one cannot expect an owner or a driver to keep stopping his car and running round to adjust the dampers. The two memoranda in question give different information as to the system of control used on the car referred to, but as in any case from the point of view of material alone I believe I am right in saying that we could not have any form of controllable shock dampers on the first 400 chassis, the best way seems to be to push | ||