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).
Development and testing of the Ph.III, 20/25, and Bentley models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 101\2\ scan0078 | |
| Date | 24th August 1936 | |
| X500a To G.W. Hancock, Hotel de France, Chateauroux, Indre, France. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}10/KW.24.8.36. Many thanks for your notes. Re Hamilton, we are trying to get some definite recommendations on vapour lock on the Ph.III, and are carrying out Brooklands tests this week. I want Hamilton to see these tests as he has dealt with the job. The position with regard to the running in France seems to me to be as follows. There is little object in doing miles on the 20/25 at present; it wants the new steering and roll rod. I have made a big effort to get the roll rod finished. The difficulty was dies: they are now going to make the levers in aluminium-bronze castings. It is stupid to make dies because we may find that we do not want the pieces at all after you have tested them in France. Therefore for the time being the 20/25 becomes a spare car in case of trouble with the Bentley. We shall not rush into the deturbulated cylinder head, so there is no need to put in a large number of miles on this. The Bentley we are extremely interested in because of the aluminium brake drums, anti-jagger device, better filtering for the bearings, and the 11" clutch fitted with Ferodo No.6 material. We should like you to make a special effort to test the anti-jagger parts. They have decided to take a chance on production and make some pieces, and if we run into any trouble they will have to be scrapped. With regard to the Ph.III, this will be ready at the end of this week. Two of the worst troubles are the clutch, and sparking plugs overoiling under traffic conditions. Therefore the first mileage ought to be put in in London traffic. I suggest that Hamilton and Scholes should start on this job, with possibly a couple of drivers from Bentley Motors or Cricklewood: it is for you to say if you can get sufficiently reliable men. | ||