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).
Status report on the preparation of a Bentley car for the Le Mans race, detailing bodywork and chassis modifications.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\4\ Scan237 | |
| Date | 25th May 1936 | |
| To SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} X-62 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}1/KW.25.5.36. Bentley Car for Le Mans. We expect this car to be completed before Whitsuntide. BODYWORK. Hall fitted an entirely new body with the object of reducing wind resistance. According to the wind tunnel figures it should have put up the top speed by about 10 m.p.h. Track tests since the body has been completed, however, are disappointing, and show a gain of only about 2 m.p.h. We do not think the effort has been wasted, however, because Hall followed our advice on the back of the car but not at the forward end, and we think that if he modifies the front after Le Mans we shall probably have a very good car for Ulster. Unfortunately the new body was not very well made and we have had to do a lot of work to ensure that pieces do not fall off during the race. A complete undershield had been fitted but we have refused to let this be used because the increase in speed it gives is negligible, and we have had no experience with regard to what might happen to the axle and gearbox if we keep the cooling draught from them. Also this undershield weighs 50 lbs. CHASSIS. In spite of every effort, we shall not have the first set of aluminium brake drums and the brake leverage on test until to-day. This being so we have had to make the best we can of the standard drum. We have largely overcome the fading by means of a special lining supplied by Ferodos, which is alright for racing but which would be quite impossible for ordinary use because it squeaks abominably. Having had so little experience with the aluminium drums we shall not fit them unless practice shows that the new lining will not give what is required. Hall has done a 24 hour run on the special lining in England and agrees that with the 3 1/2 litre engine there is little or no fading. | ||