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).
Visits to coachbuilders regarding the construction of coupé bodies on Bentley sporting cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\1\ scan0278 | |
| Date | 29th May 1934 | |
| To: [redacted] Copy to Mr. [redacted] Mr. [redacted] Re. re:- Coupé Bodies on Bentley. As suggested in our AV1/IM.23.3.34., we have visited the Works of Messrs. Vanden Plas, Gurney Nutting and Whittingham & Mitchell, with a view to learning all we can about coupé construction on sporting cars. We would point out that the coupé is essentially a body consisting of two more or less solid units, scuttle, the rear quarter and the boot joined together by a bottomside or sill. Between these two masses are suspended the doors and the headgear. (1) Messrs. VANDEN PLAS (ENGLAND) LTD. This firm have built a large number of standardised coupé bodies for the "Speed 20 Alvis". They admit that they have been through a period of considerable trouble with rattles, which they believe they have now overcome to a very large extent. The introduction of independent wheel suspension we understand has tended to aggravate again the trouble. They make no attempt to put any great strength in the bottomside of the body and accept almost as inevitable the existence of relative movement between the two units of the body. They use a cast alpax screen pillar and pay great attention to the ironing of the rear hinge pillar. Their doors are controlled in front by large rubber buffers as well as a "silent-bloc" lock. They admit the doors will move to make sure they are well buffered with rubber. They do not like the cant-rail to be split and hinged vertically and prefer the horizontal folding arms, the ends of which they lock securely to the top of the screen pillar. Because of the very low waist line on the Alvis chassis it is impossible for them to build a coupé with a flush line along the top of the body when the hood is folded down - hence they have no need to use a contracting rear stick. (2) Messrs. WHITTINGHAM & MITCHELL. These people produce bodies for the "Wolsey Hornet Special" in batches of fifty at a price below £100. It was necessary, therefore, not to criticise the quality of their work, but rather to consider the principles upon which they build. We found here a -1- | ||