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).
Alternative colour finishes for the Bentley engine to differentiate it from Rolls-Royce engines.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\4\ 04-page336 | |
| Date | 19th June 1933 | |
| H3 X-483v To C. FROM Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Finish of Bentley Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}5/E19.6.33 Copy to W.R. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Engine. E.W. PA.{Mr Paterson} Hsv. Referring to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/WJ.16.6.33, would you please discuss this with Cx.{Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} and any one else whom you think should be brought into it. My original idea expressed at W. some months ago was that the engine of the Bentley might be stove-enamelled in some other colour than black, - the main idea of course being that, when you opened the bonnet, it did not look [strikethrough]like[/strikethrough] so much like a RR as if it were finished in the same way as a RR. As Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} says, there is no difficulty in deciding what is the best finish but there is difficulty in deciding on an alternative, and as time is now of importance, I should be glad if you would do what you can to get some suggestions. We do not want scratch brush bright aluminium for the reasons [strikethrough]mentioned[/strikethrough] and personally I cannot think of anything better than a different colour [strikethrough]than black[/strikethrough] of enamel from black. Then of course the question arises as to what colour, and here I think the only way would be to have a few samples, but we shall have to be careful to avoid its looking like a cheap marine engine. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Enc. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}5/WJ.16.6.33 | ||