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).
Vehicle trial results, focusing on bodywork fatigue, chassis performance, and coachbuilder comparisons.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 82\3\ scan0374 | |
| Date | 7th June 1935 | |
| -2- Furthermore, the trials car, though it has of course been treated far more gently than 5-B-IV, is also cracking up, and we understand that Sr. considers he can do little with it and is returning it to Park Wards for repair. This really indicates that we ought to have run the original 10,000 miles test on the ride control on a standard Saloon car, when we should have observed the weaknesses in the body which still exist. We still consider that we could make a vast improvement by panelling the bodies in steel where they are highly stressed. The wings on 5-B-IV indicate that even where the aluminium has little or nothing to do but support itself, it fails from fatigue. These wings have been completely insulated from the front end movement of the chassis, (which we have previously been told repeatedly was the cause of the major part of our troubles), and yet they are in much the same condition as the wings have always been at the end of the 10,000 miles test. Sr. is emphatic that the pillarless 4-door Saloon, panelled in steel, and made by Van Voorens, has exhibited none of the failures experienced on his Park Ward Saloon. We did not have the opportunity of trying the Van Vooren to verify his statement, but if this is so it would seem imperative that Park Wards should have the opportunity of looking at both these cars. (2) CHASSIS - PRESENT STANDARD. Apart from trouble with the white metal big ends, which is now being dealt with by lead bronze, and the characteristics of which being known, no trouble has been caused to a customer, so Sr. is more than ever enthusiastic about the way the Bentley chassis stands up. The French roads have definitely deteriorated in the last two or three years and would be considered very bad judged by English standards, yet in the course of a normal touring run we covered 168 miles in 2 hours 50 minutes, in complete comfort. We understand that the Sales which have been made by Paris confirm the reputation which this car is establishing on the Continent. | ||