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).
Weights of Bentley demonstration cars in relation to poor performance complaints.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\3\ scan0202 | |
| Date | 8th June 1936 | |
| x258 W/LH.{Mr Haworth} - JLE.{J. Lee Evans - Chassis Test Manager} Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}16/KW.8.6.36. Private. We are taking an interest in Bentley Demonstration car weights. When we talk about weights at the car conferences in Derby we never seem to get very much sympathy. I think this is because the average Bentley owner is possibly satisfied with the performance of the car. Nevertheless, in the last list of Quarterly Complaints there are 50 comments on poor performance. We are trying to get it accepted that at least one demonstration car should be on the lines of the present Paris Trials car, where every care has been taken to save weight, the result being a complete car for just under 30½ cwts. In discussing weights with Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} we always have difficulty in establishing what the demonstration cars actually weigh. Will you please therefore let me have the curb weights of the cars that are at present being run. B-61-FC, which is Lappin's car and one that is up here occasionally so that we get a chance of getting weight figures, scales rather more than 34½ cwts. Staniland's car, B-150-AE, weights 31½ cwts. Both cars have the bumper bar fitted, and are as nearly as possible identical. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||