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).
Owner feedback on the accessibility of front seats in a Bentley and proposed improvements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\1\ scan0415 | |
| Date | 30th January 1936 | |
| X 204 To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} & Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} Accessibility of the Front Seats on the Bentley. We have frequently received criticisms from owner-drivers that there is not enough room in the Bentley. In almost every case where we have asked for further particulars as to what was meant by too little room we have found that the chief complaint has been that it is relatively difficult to get in and out of the front seats. We are also told that cars with less actual body space in the front seats require much less physical exertion to enter. We apologise for quoting the Rover again, but having one of these cars as a model, we are particularly familiar with it, and this car does amply demonstrate the point in question. We talked the matter over with E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} and Mr. Ward of Park Wards, and it was agreed that this point could be very easily improved, but so far nothing has been done. Mr. Ward has been away ill, but in the meantime Messrs. Park Ward have sent us a sketch of some of the proposals discussed. Briefly, the suggestion is to increase the slope of the forward line of the front door, to provide more room to get the feet between the corner of the seat and the body, widen the body slightly across the front seats, and reduce the width of the running board so that it is possible to sit on the seat with the feet on the ground. As a further suggestion we should like to try a central change, with a Ph.III type of brake lever. Besides improving the accessibility of the front seats, the central gear change should be a very definite economy, particularly now that the isolated change speed lever is being used. We do not think that the central change speed lever should be turned down until it has been tried, and we suggest that since no new gearbox is being called for at present, this section would have time to give to it. | ||