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 a supplier discussing alternative car battery specifications, options, and supply.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 58\4\ Scan231 | |
| Date | 18th December 1935 | |
| PETO & RADFORD. CONTINUATION 3. Messrs, Rolls-Royce, Ltd., 18th December, 1935. not to use a cover, then there would be no tool making and there would be a slight reduction in price for the battery because of the non-supply of the cover. [Handwritten note in left margin: should have new stoppers] We promised that if we could do anything, we would make up a sample and send it to you and a sample of the 6.HZD.9-S is being made up and will be sent to you in the course of a few days. [Handwritten note in left margin: why-] Perhaps we ought to add that in looking into this matter we found that we could fit into your existing battery container a thin plate 11-plate section 6.VBD.11-S. Actually this section would be the same as is in three of the cells on the writer's car. Such'a battery with cover would be 51¾ lbs. in other words, 7¼ lbs. lighter than your present battery but it would have a capacity of 62½ ampere hours and an increased starting effort in the proportion of 1.25 to 1. This would have thinner plates even than the 6.HZD.9-S although we do not think its life would be any less, and we thought we should mention this because there is a battery weighing a little less with a greater capacity. It would be rather an expensive battery to make and would cost quite a little bit more than your present one. We think, however, that if you are to make a change you might as well go down to 6.HZD.9-S as we would not have any serious fear of this on a Bentley car. We did find that we could make one 4 lbs. lighter than the 6.HZD.9-S but we have decided not to recommend it as its capacity would be only 50 ampere hours. We might say that for all these batteries that we have mentioned, we have got all the parts and if you want to change over for the future cars of the type the writer is having, we could make the change in your supplies in the time. We are afraid this is rather a long letter but in order to give you all the facts, it has to be and no doubt you can sift it out and let us know how you feel about it. Would you please reply to the Works at Dagenham Dock "For the attention of Mr. Cyril Pritchett" as the writer will be away by the time your reply can arrive and Mr. Pritchett will carry on the correspondence with you. If you want to talk it over, we would be very glad for our designer, Mr. Chapman, to go and see you as he has the whole thing at his finger tips. Yours faithfully, PETO & RADFORD. [Signature: G R N Minchin] | ||