Lever on steering wheel

PEDRO VILLAS-BOAS · Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:35 am Post subject: Lever on steering wheel

[I bought recently a Bentley 3 1/2 liter Sport Saloon bodied by William Arnold.
I am in process of doing a detailed revision on the car in my own workshop.

Needing some help:

1. Where can I get parts for this model and engine?

2. There is a lever on the steering wheel saying "Normal" and "Dipper". It actuates a switch at the bottom of the steering column, but nothing seems to happen. The head lamp beam dipper system is working from the light switch on the instrument panel. What is this lever supposed to do ?

Kind regards

Pedro Villas-Boas

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2020 9:41 am Post subject:

Parts can be had from Ristes and Fiennes.
There are four levers on the steering column centre.
Left; idle speed.
Right; early-late timing.
Top; starting mixture.
Bottom; ride control. This will most probably not be working.
If your car is a special, it's anybody's guess.

Ewan Gallie · Joined: 29 Oct 1997 Posts: 184 Location: Italy

Ciao Pedro,
A photo would help. My headlamp dipper is a floor mounted foot operated button. Maybe if you have it at steering wheel level you've lost connections somewhere.

Salutations (covid19 free) from Milan
Ewan

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 5:31 pm Post subject:

Correction to the above.

William Arnold of Manchester started making Derby Bentleys from the AE series, 1933/34.
The ride controllable dampers and gearbox pump were introduced in later CW series at the end of 1934.
I believe that this car of Pedro is from the BL series, so the lower lever would operate the solenoid, to dip the lights.
Clunkety, clunk.

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 9:44 am Post subject:

Thanks, Chris, for the clarification. It would help if people would identify the year and series when posting questions.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 10:34 am Post subject:

Yes, true.

PEDRO VILLAS-BOAS · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 6:40 pm Post subject:

Thankyou very much for the information sent.
I shall try anf follow the wiring out of the switch to see if it goes to the head lamps.
By the way the car was buitl in 1934. Sorry not to have disclosed before.

kind regards
Pedro

Nicholas Simons · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2020 8:10 pm Post subject:

Pedro
The chassis number always helps with questions.