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 from Ethyl Export Corporation suggesting fuel compositions for a Bentley.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27a\4\ Scan343 | |
| Date | 21th November 1934 | |
| CABLEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, LONDON. TELEGRAMS: ETHYLPORT, CHURTON. ETHYL EXPORT CORPORATION Incorporated in the State of Delaware, U.S.A. with limited liability. ABFORD HOUSE, VICTORIA LONDON, S.W.1 Telephone: VICTORIA 5 5 2 0 Head Office: 135 EAST 42ND STREET NEW YORK, U.S.A 21st November, 1934. W. A.{Mr Adams} Robotham Esq., Experimental Department, Rolls-Royce Ltd., Nightingale Road, DERBY. Dear Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}, Very many thanks for yours of the 20th November. With reference to the possibility of you running a Bentley in a competition which permits the use of any type of fuel, I put forward the following suggestions for your consideration. Concerning the use of the fuels which were employed in the Schneider Trophy engine, I am not quite clear which of the two fuels you refer to. There was the fuel used for the race proper, which consisted of: 20% Aviation spirit 70% Benzol 10% Methanol 100 + 4 c.c.'s of lead per gallon. and the fuel used for the Speed Record, which consisted of: 60% Methanol 30% Benzol 10% Acetone 100 + 5 c.c.'s of lead per gallon. In the case of the former fuel, I think we can give you a much better mixture and in the case of the latter, I am inclined to think that the alcohol content would be far too high for the Bentley, having in mind the points mentioned in paragraph three of your letter. I am going to give you herewith three suggested fuels which could be made up by yourselves at the works and which could afterwards be supplied to your specification by either the Anglo-American Oil Co. or the Shell-Mex & B.P. | ||