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).
Meeting minutes detailing design changes for a Bentley chassis to differentiate it from Rolls-Royce models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 30\2\ Scan270 | |
| Date | 20th June 1935 | |
| Minute No. (Cont'd) 2. -2- Hyl/R.20.6.35. (3) Different type of milled nuts, i.e., Bentley type, to be fitted to the valve cover and tappet covers. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} will get out a design. (4) The petrol tank filler cap to have the letter 'B' on it. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} will arrange for the monogram to be put on the filler cap. (5) The change-speed and brake lever grips to be of a different type. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} said that the change-speed lever is already different on the production Bentley chassis. The brake lever, however, cannot be altered on the first series of chassis. (6) The rubber covers to the pedals to have 'B' moulded in the rubber. (All these last four things for camouflage to get away from R-R features). E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} will design and instruct. (7) For mechanical reasons you had to go back to Dunlop wheels and our R-R hubs. Can you think of any means of camouflaging these hubs so that they do not look like R-R which are really such a very distinctive characteristic of our cars? As will be seen from Minute No.1, it has now been decided to use Rudge Whitworth wheels on the first 15 chassis. A definite decision as to which type of wheel will be finally adopted will be made later. (8) Cover the bumper fittings on front dumb irons with adequate shields. Those at present fitted are a bit too short. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} will look into the design. (9) Protection against flying stones. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} is considering whether to fit stone guards, which are heavy, or a thicker gauge of aluminium. Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} is looking into this question. | ||