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).
Performance of E.R. Hall's Bentley at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and outlining recommendations for the next racing season.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan227 | |
| Date | 1st October 1934 | |
| To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to WOP. c. to C. c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to Hn.{F. C. Honeyman - Retail orders} BENTLEY COMPETITIONS. We saw E.R.Hall running at Shelsey Walsh Hill Climb on Saturday. Although the weather conditions were very bad the car put up a very good show. It won it's class for cars from 3000 to 5000 cc's racing and sports cars and also did the best time for any sports car over 1,500 cc's. Hall's time was only 4 secs. lower than the 'stunt' racing cars and for this competition where the engine only has to last for less than a minute the racing cars are boosted to the limit. One of the chief reasons why the Bentley did so well was that we fitted to this car a Peregrine rear axle which gives us a much lower ratio than the standard Bentley - the axle fits on without any modifications. The competitions are now closed for this year but it is essential that we make a decision at once as regards the policy for next year. I accept it as inevitable that we have got to support races next year. I have already given my reasons but there is another which I should like to add, that is, the SpectreCodename for Phantom III and Wraith are going to absorb all our energies on car work for some time to come. The Bentley car will therefore have to carry on in production without any radical modification for some time. It may mean therefore that a fillip from sporting events may be necessary in order to maintain interest in this car. The Bentley Racing Car for next year would be practically identical to E.R.Hall's car this year. As far as we can forecast no design work is required. The big jobs which we have to carry out this year such as modified gear ratios, friction shock absorbers, special petrol tank, additional oil tank, etc., would be used again. The modifications we want to press on with are to arrive at the best form of streamlined body and wings, and confirm results with higher compression cylinder head, this however is ready for test. We also want to fit a modified crankshaft with narrow lead bronze big end bearings as this puts up the critical speed over 200 RPM. This of course is desired also for standard cars as the chief weakness in the present Bentley engine unit are the big end bearings and crankshaft critical speed. My recommendations on this job are as follows - we should produce four cars which would provide a team of three and one spare. We should enter them and control them. E.R.Hall very naturally wishes to remain the only driver racing a 3½ litre car. Although he has done remarkably well and I have not seen a better driver, we must run a team of three cars to make certain of achieving results. | ||