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 on a Wraith's performance during a trip to France, with suggestions for the forthcoming Bentley and a query about windscreen wipers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\5\ scan0140 | |
| Date | 20th April 1939 | |
| Sr2/ET.20.4.39 - 2 - is just one thing I want to ask you and that is what happens to a roller if a front tyre bursts or suddenly deflates at high speed. There is generally a period during which one has to hang on very seriously to the steering before coming to rest. How does this period affect the roller? I have just returned from a trip to the South of France with our Wraith and there is no doubt that it is a very nice car, and I should imagine that, when fitted with dome type pistons or, in other words, when it has a little extra pep, it will be an excellent vehicle. As it is at present, it is a car one has to drive very carefully for, owing to its lack of acceleration, overtaking can become quite dangerous. As you know, in this country, most cars are capable of a speed of 115/120 K.P.H. and one is therefore constantly huddling the riffraff. The only way of keeping my passengers' hearts in the right place was to have the ride control on maximum, having previously put the poundage of the ride control to its maximum. Even thus, I had one or two complaints of sickness. All this is to lead up to my point about the forthcoming Bentley and to make sure that, even if you do not agree with me, the car can be stiffened up by the use of the ride control, to overcome the above mentioned defect, quite apart from the reasons explained to Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} and Waller. Needless to say we are living in the midst of war mongers but, in spite of this, we are keeping the old flag flying. As a matter of fact, we are not doing so badly at the moment. I am under the impression that France is suffering less from the war mania than Great-Britain. For your personal information, there will be no war. We can therefore carry on planning the Longchamp night and any other nights! For Sr. ET P.S. The Nuit de Longchamp, by the way, is on 1st July. P.P.S. Concerning the windscreen wipers, the Lucas model you have sent us does not seem very suitable for a "V" shaped windscreen, as the connecting link between the two wipers is a straight bar. On the Embiricos Bentley we fitted 2 independant screen wipers with a motor to each wiper blade. Under the circumstances do you not think it advisable to let us have a similar arrangement for the present Bentley? Sr/EWP.{Mr Punt} | ||