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).
The design of a Bentley rear wheel arch and its impact on the rear door entrance width.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 88\5\ scan0050 | |
| Date | 1st December 1936 | |
| Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} from Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/F.{Mr Friese} Dodd. Rm{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}/FD{Frank Dodd - Bodies}7/R.1.12.36. BENTLEY REAR WHEEL ARCH. As the wheel arch dicatates the maximum width at the bottom of the rear door, we have checked over 3.B.IV P.W. wide entrance saloon to see if full advantage has been obtained. We regret to find that 1.5" of valuable door entrance has been lost at this point. A radius of 17.5", taken 1.125" above the level top of frame at the rear axle, is called for on the drawing; a perfect radius has not been followed, and at the running board end of the wheel arch they have run out to the extent of 1.5". Comparing our Bentley rear door with the Chevrolet we are wider at the bottom; the Chevrolet has 12" at the bottom, the standard Park Ward all-steel saloon is 14.5" while the wide door saloon body on 3.B.IV has 13½". If the wheel arch followed the correct radius, we could get a rear door entrance on the standard saloon like B.36.BN{W.O. Bentley / Mr Barrington} body of 15" at the bottom. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||