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).
Letter detailing ground clearance issues with the crank chamber and oil drain plug, and a minor accelerator pedal issue.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 89\1\ scan0011 | |
| Date | 7th November 1933 | |
| JOHN SUMMERS & SONS, LIMITED, SHOTTON, CONTINUANCE No. 1 x7961 7/11/33 [Handwritten note in left margin, written sideways] L/P. what is the lowest portion of the engine The Bentley [1] This Summer I have travelled between 2/3,000 miles in the West of Scotland, including over 1,000 miles on the Isle of Skye. There, for the most part, the roads are very rough, and are often worn into ruts, with the centreof the road overgrown with grass, and generally scattered with loose stones. The lowest point on my Alfa is the rear part of the crank chamber, where the maximum clearance is only 5 5/8". The wheel base of the car is 10 feet. On occasions I scraped the centre of the road with this portion of the crank chamber, and once or twice caught a stone with it. No damage, however, was done, as the bottom of this crank chamber is comparatively smooth, and free from protuberances. When I bought the car the oil draining plug was a large and ungainly affair, with a hexagon head projecting nearly 3/4" below the main body of the chamber. I very soon knocked this off on a friend's gate stop, and lost all the oil out of the engine. I redesigned this plug, which is now a brass plate about 1/4" thick, held on by three short studs with very thin nuts. The whole thing lies snug against the base of the chamber, and does not project below the cooling ribs cast on the bottom of it. As far as I can remember your motor, there is a projection in this particular spot which may be very vulnerable. The ideal thing would be a sunk brass plug with an internal hexagon hole by which to unscrew it. [2] The second point is a minor detail, but I am told by Richard that on your standard saloon it is difficult to reach the accelerator pedal when third gear is engaged as you have to twist your leg around the gear lever. As you will see, I am doing my best to ensure that my car, when I get it, will be free from all defects! Yours sincerely, Geoffrey [Handwritten note at the bottom] Drain plug - 5 7/8" unloaded - 5 1/2" - 4 passengers } Should be able to increase this by one inch by alteration to design. Clutch pit - 6 1/8" unloaded | ||