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 regarding a failed rear silencer and clips on a Bentley chassis B.35.KU.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\5\ scan0006 | |
| Date | 14th October 1938 | |
| WO/AW Noted To Bentley Motors Ltd. Derby Copy to Mr. Reg. " " Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 1245 Levallois, Sr/VA.I/HB.{C. E. Harcombe}14.10.38 re: Bentley rear silencer - Chassis B.35.KU With reference to your Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/GWH.{George W. Hancock - Head Chateauroux}I2/W.7.10.38 and "Owner's Complaint Report" N° P.114, we omitted to mention on our Report that the principal reason why we had to open up the rear silencer on the above car was owing to fairly large chunks of burnt metal having found their way from the front silencer into the rear silencer and although we tried to remove them by shaking the silencer, etc.. and turning it on its end we were not successful, upon opening up the rear silencer we found that the front EB.878 clip had failed on both sides, near the neck of the clip as indicated on the attached sketch, the rear clip had however only failed on one side and also near the neck, some rivets had also broken away. We made a fitted two new clips out of stouter (gauge) material. It is not the first time, when attending to complaints of rattles from rear silencers that we have found that the EB.878 clips had failed in the manner described above. Have you come across similar cases, if so what is you procedure? In a memo to you (Reference Sr/VA.I/ET.10.6.38) we pointed out that we had experienced trouble due to the failure of clips. You mention in your memo "it is wrong to state that it is a question of design, the fault lies in poor welding", we fully agree to this where the breaking away of the rivets is concerned, what should the failure of the clips be attributed to wrong design or material not correct. We should mention that we have not come across a case where the EB.879 (lower) clip or clips had failed. Sr/VA. | ||