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).
Issues and proposed solutions for headlamp and wing movement on Bentley cars.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\4\ scan0053 | |
Date | 1st December 1934 | |
To SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sor. C. c. to L. Py. c. to m.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} En. c. to Hn.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} 4573 Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}2/WJ.1.12.34. Headlamp & wing movement on the Bentley. Replying to SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}10/JS.{Mr Johnson's Secretary}30.11.34. When I was in Paris I went over with Mr. and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} the question of the front end movement on the Bentley and the tests which have been carried out with the bumper bar and dropped front cross-member. All the Bentley cars in France which are fitted with saloon bodies are very bad for this complaint. It is the sole criticism of the car in France. The bumper and cross-member were tried on a bad example and Mr. and Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux} estimated that it was a 90% improvement. Mr. was satisfied that as long as we send cars to France fitted with this bumper he will have no further criticisms. My own recommendation, after trying a standard car out there, is that we ought not to send any further Bentley cars to France unless fitted with this improvement. The recent sales of Bentley cars on the Continents are sufficiently encouraging for us to do all we can to make the car suitable for those conditions. Since Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} wrote his note Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/KW.20.11.34 he has tried several of the finished cars in London and we are now definitely of the opinion that the standard Bentley car is much worse for front end movement than it was originally, due to the fact of the bodies being made more rigid and the fitting of the P.100 headlamps. As regards the second paragraph in SG.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}10/JS.{Mr Johnson's Secretary}30.11.34 we have previously pointed out in our Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls}7/KW.27.2.34 that the method of carrying the radiator makes no difference to this complain we are surprised at this question being raised again because if anyone thinks the radiator movement is less by fixing the radiator solid it can be done in a few minutes on any car. We are positive however, that it is worse. We do hope that this is the last we have heard of the front end movement having been made worse by improving the radiator mountings. It should be recognised that we should not be recommending the bumper if there was an easier or more economical method of overcoming this trouble. I do not altogether agree with Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/KW.20.11.34. as regards delaying the standardisation. The front end movement on the Bentley cars and the breaking up of bodies is by far the worst | ||