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).
Floor cracking issues on Bentley stock bodies and the proposed reinforcements.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 84\1\ scan0221 | |
| Date | 12th January 1934 | |
| X204 W/S. To Ox. from EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork}2/HP.12.1.34. c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Mn. re Bentley Stock Bodies. On all of the experimental cars we have had trouble with the well in the floor cracking where it joins the crossmember which supports the back of the front floor. This front floor overhangs the crossmember at the centre and rests on the top of the tunnel. This body crossmember has carried the whole of the weight of the front seats and passengers, together with the load imposed upon it by the act of braking. Because it is flexible it deflects and allows the block on the floor to place its load upon the top of the tunnel which becomes dented. The tunnel of the well in the floor is rigid and will not allow itself to be repeatedly deflected without cracking away from the flat portion of the well. On all the cars here we have had to reinforce the junction between the front of the well, the tunnel, and this crossmember by means of sheet steel. At the same time we have plated out the crossmember with rolled angle steel. We mention this to you because we think you will wish to do something to the stock bodies now in hand at Messrs. Park Ward's and Messrs. Vanden Plas. We are coming to the conclusion that the wells for the feet will have to be made in 22 gauge sheet steel. The well for the feet is very rigid in the horizontal plane but is attached to a body and chassis which are parallelogramming in that plane and also torsionally deflected, and this repeated distortion, coupled with the deflection of the body crossmember due to the weights of the seats, causes the aluminium to crack between the junction of the stiff tunnel and the flat plates of the well. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} | ||