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).
Detailed comparison of Bentley bodies against American cars like the Pontiac, Graham, and Terraplane.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 128\1\ scan0181 | |
| Date | 4th March 1935 | |
| -2- Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}11/KW.4.3.35. We have now got a direct and detailed comparison between two American chassis and the Bentley, and between three American bodies and that of the present standardised Bentley Saloon. In comparing the bodies our endeavour has been to be fair. We have not the exact dimensions of the Pontiac, but both the Graham and the Terraplane have more head and seating room than the Bentley. On the other hand, close coupled bodies are, we understand, definitely heavier than Saloons. Therefore, we accept that we ought to expect the Bentley to weigh the same as the Graham and Terraplane if constructed in the same manner. This may favour the Bentley slightly. Again, it is not fair to debit American all-steel bodies with the all steel wings which they invariably fit, if it is desired to get a value for a type of construction. We have therefore assumed that the American wings and running boards are of aluminium and that they gain as much from utilising this material as we do. The nett result of a comparison on these lines is that the Bentley Saloon shows up very favourably, being 109 lbs. lighter than the Terraplane, 134 lbs. lighter than the Graham, and 77 lbs. heavier than the Pontiac. The 20/25 is a much better comparison, size for size, with these American cars, and does not show up so favourably. It would be interesting to have an analysis of the components of the 20/25 and Bentley bodies, to see where the differences are. We are obtaining details of Br's steel panelled Trials car, which should be of considerable value. We shall include the Buick as soon as this is stripped. We have given a revised figure for the Bentley frame and included step irons, etc., to make the conditions exactly comparable with those of the Terraplane. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||