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).
Feedback and criticism of road springs on a 10,000 Miles Bentley.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\3\ scan0206 | |
| Date | 15th April 1935 | |
| X200a To Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager}E.BY. 10,000 Miles Bentley - 5-B-IV. Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}2/E15.4.35 Referring to Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}15/KW.12.4.35 it is quite correct that Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager}, who gave the car a short run, offered some criticism of the road springs. He formed the impression that there was much more movement on the front of the car, i.e. a feeling of lighter poundage springs. Hancock told him that the springs were lighter but he did not explain, as your memo. infers, that they are lighter only in weight and not in rating and poundage. Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} certainly formed the impression that they were not as good as standard and the first three reports from Hancock indicate the same thing. If, therefore, they are really standard, I should like to know why this is so because the standard Bentley rides very well on the Continent. You will see that Hancock says that the car pitched and rolled at corners - (which is also what Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} found) - that with the maximum of damping it is a series of jolts and with the minimum of damping the rolling and pitching occurs. It has also apparently had the effect of making the steering not as selective as the standard Bentley and has increased the road shocks. I feel that you should immediately instruct Hancock to fit the standard front springs which I understood from him were being sent over. It is quite obvious that we do not want something which is not as good as present standard. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||