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).
Weight analysis and proposed modifications for the Continental Bentley.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 97\3\ scan0007 | |
| Date | 21th November 1938 | |
| Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/AFM.{Anthony F. Martindale} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Std. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/JBD.{John B. Dixon - Fuel Systems} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/RC.{R. Childs} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Wym.{G. Harold Whyman - Experimental Manager} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/Cr.{Mr Cra???ster / Mr Chichester} Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}8/R.21.11.38. CONTINENTAL BENTLEY. We have been reviewing the weight analysis of B.Y. with the object of seeing whether we should expect to get appreciable weight saving for the Continental Bentley. Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} We should instruct all the castings with the ex-ception of those on the engine, in magnesium. This includes the clutch pit; the inlet manifold not yet being settled for the B.80 engine, this casting cannot be instructed. We are proposing to make the rocker cover and the bottom half steel pressings. We should like you to go ahead with the light axle tubes and couple with them the light spring fixings recently developed by Biraben. We are, of course, going for the semi-floating rear axle. Can we lighten the rear prop. shaft? AFM.{Anthony F. Martindale} Clearly hydraulic brakes should save a certain amount of weight, and we should, therefore, like to instruct them for this car. We should also like to lighten the hand brake lever. We want to get a special set of bumpers which would be supplied with Continental chassis, and which do not weigh more than 15 lbs. each. We hope it will be possible to dispense with the roll rod on this car, so saving that amount of weight. The existing rear dampers of 12 1/4 lbs. each seem unnecessarily heavy. We should like you to instruct some alternative. | ||