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).
And trying to resolve discrepancies in the recorded weights of various Bentley chassis.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\3\ scan0119 | |
| Date | 2nd March 1935 | |
| [Handwritten text at top] +258 AS F.{Mr Friese} Dodd Should like to know from records the wts of these two chassis when passed on test [crossed out text] ex S/KW.2.3.35 Rus [Typed header] S/W. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}Mor. c. to HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} & JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} re-Bentley Chassis Weights. [Typed body text] We are very anxious to get the question of weight very clearly appreciated and to avoid any discrepancy on the part of our records as compared with those of the Works. I wonder if you would help me to clear up the present discrepancy which exists in our minds. In January 1934 you gave us weights of "A" series Bentley chassis in EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Thn7/MH{M. Huckerby}5.3.34. as 2180 lbs, that weight including water and oil but not including four tyres 120 lbs, 18 galls of petrol 135 lbs and battery 75 lbs, a total additional weight of 330 lbs. In your last report dated 10th January 1935 ref. EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}/Thn15/MH{M. Huckerby}10.1.35, you say the weight of the CW type chassis is 2191 lbs, showing an increase of 11 lbs in the present type chassis against the original series. The extra items included, or not, in the above 2191 being exactly the same as specified above. As against these figures we have recently weighed two chassis in London with exactly the same items on in each case. The chassis in question are B-180-AH and B-45-CW. The difference in these two chassis as certified by JLE{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} is approximately ½ cwt. I would like to point out, however, that in regard to the weight of B-180-AH, this chassis is not as light as it originally was because since the crash in Belgium it has been repaired and of course certain heavier parts are now on the chassis than when it was originally constructed, and therefore it does not give a true representation of the weight of the "A" series. It is in fact heavier than the standard "A" series as originally turned out and certified by you as 2180 lbs. You will know, of course, the parts that have increased in weight which have been fitted to B-180-AH during repair but speaking from memory there is the heavier front axle, stronger steering pivot pins and a number of small differences which in most cases add slightly to the weight. Therefore if you take into consideration the difference in the weight of these parts as compared with what was originally on the chassis you will have a certain number more lbs to add to the ½ cwt above referred to. Thus our records of the increase in weight of the Bentley chassis since it was first put on the road do not tally with the records of the Works. Can you please help us to find out definitely the cause of this discrepancy in weight (contd) | ||