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 discussing modifications to the bonnet and radiator shell for a Bentley mock-up, referencing specific drawings and parts.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 112\1\ scan0035 | |
| Date | 25th March 1938 guessed | |
| -2- When this is done we shall wish to borrow the wooden model of the radiator to enable us to make a cast iron former from it, by means of which our Sheet Metal Shop will produce the radiator shell. You will remember that this procedure was adopted for the original Bentley. We tell you this in order that you may appreciate the urgency of the mock-up of the front end of the car. Referring to drawing PD.131 sheets 1 and 2. give you a fully dimensioned detail of the radiator shell, whilst sheet 3. shows the true shape of the face of the grille. The basis of the radiator face shape is the fact that it consists of a flat sheet curved only in one plane, so making each slat of the grille to have the same curvature. Sheet 4 shows the external view of the radiator, headlamps, and wing lamps etc. On PD.112 entitled " Front end of Car", we have given you the contour of the front end of the bonnet at the radiator. In the course of the design it has been necessary to modify this contour to suit the sloping radiator, and this will be seen from the drawing. At the front end the bonnet widens in cross section from the side moulding downwards.If we were to maintain the same section of the bonnet at a point 5 1/4" behind the back of dash as given on PD.112, the body as already drawn would be incorrect in the scuttle face. To overcome this difficulty we propose to modify the section of bonnet at this point, so that with the radiator of PD.131 the bonnet will match the scuttle face, which you have produced from our original bonnet dimensions on PD.112. For the mock up we believe you can provide the headlamps, which will be Lucas R.100 and the wing lamps. You also will have a Bentley badge for the radiator, and we leave you to make the continuation of the bonnet hinge of the radiator shell out of chromium bead. We shall send you a suitable front bumper, and also a rear bumper, together with a pair of Lucas fog lamps. Cont'd...... | ||