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).
Modifications to prevent fires on Bentley cars by addressing loose sparking plug terminals and carburettor flooding.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\6\ 06-page169 | |
| Date | 9th May 1934 | |
| S/S....H c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} HY.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} MP. Mx.{John H Maddocks - Chief Proving Officer} JLR. C1/C9.5.34 Re FIRES ON BENTLEY. EL/HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}5.34 Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} and I have discussed your memo. which sets out clearly the possibilities of petrol being ignited in the event of flooding and we note that you propose:- (1) Doing away with the loose sparking plug terminals, which certainly are a possible source of sparking. (2) Doing away with the flooding device on the carburettors, and (3) Fitting a banjo connection with a pipe to take any petrol away from the inside of the car. As you know, we are at the present time arranging to change the wheels of the Bentleys at the Coachbuilders and in the hands of customers, and we would like to fit this modification as far as we can at the same time. The fixed plug terminal instead of the loose terminal is apparently a simple matter and we should be glad if you would please arrange for supplies to be sent to JLR. so that he may change over those at the Coachbuilders and those in the hands of customers as we get them; also a supply to the Service Depot at Kingsbury and the Repair Dept. at Derby. With regard to the fitting for the carburettors, would Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} as soon as possible give us some idea as to when he is likely to have this ready because, as mentioned above, we would like to fit this to customers' cars as we got them for the wheels, without having to ask for the cars again - that is to say, as many as we can dependent upon the date that this device is ready. C. | ||