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).
15,000-mile test in France for the B.V. model, discussing performance, comparisons to other models, and production considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\4\ scan0171 | |
| Date | 1st December 1938 | |
| RM{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}'s copy SHORT. H400b Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} from Hm.{Capt. W. Hallam - Head Repairs} c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} c. Ds. c. Hx. c. W/L - CWH. c. HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr} Hall/R.1.12.38. REPORT ON 15,000 MILES' TEST IN FRANCE. Herewith a report on the running done so far in France on B.V. On the whole we are very pleased with the way the car has behaved, but, of course, the mileage covered so far is really insignificant for an entirely new chassis. As an example, on the Wraith, which was a car built irrespective of cost and weight, we ran into gearbox and propeller shaft trouble after cars in our hands had covered a total of 165,000 miles. The Bentley pieces always have to work harder than the corresponding 25/30 pieces, and on this particular car have had to cost 25% less than the pieces which they supersede, and include the additional complication of independent front suspension. We should, therefore, like to emphasise that if we are asked to release production quantities of material before the promised date of March, it is almost certain that quite a number of pieces released will have to be modified. We can, however, release quite a number of bits with the minimum of risk, and this is being done. The production of B.V., therefore, seems to us to come down to a compromise between the latest date at which this car can be introduced, and the amount of money which we are prepared to spend changing over pieces after the cars have been fabricated. Were it not for the somewhat extraordinary conditions existing in the Factory, due to the accelerated aero production, we believe that past experience has shown that we could hold back the doubtful pieces until March or April, and still have some cars for delivery almost immediately after the Motor Show, but we do not suggest that under the present circumstances this is feasible. RM.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||