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 discussing the rapid adoption of convenience features in the American automotive market, such as front brakes, chassis lubrication, silent gearboxes, and chromium plating.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 156\4\ scan0033 | |
| Date | 30th August 1929 guessed | |
| -2- emphasized in great detail the many advantages. The result is that in a short time every automobile built in America, including Ford, has had to adopt front wheel brakes. The same thing has applied to the adoption of chassis lubrication, scheme, whether it be Bijur or something else. It has such an appeal to the convenience of the user as to possibly free him from "getting down and getting under" the car for purpose of lubrication. The latest appeal to the convenience of the user is the Silent Gear Box and easy shift and I think it is only a question of a year or two until this improved feature will become an insistent demand on the part of all users. We have asked Mr. Olley to watch closely these tendencies to changes in transmission and I enclose herewith a memo from him which will be of possible interest. To further illustrate the point, in America today no one uses paints and varnishes any more, nothing but lacquer will do, because of the lasting qualities and the ease with which it can be applied and the dust and dirt removed. Another appeal to the convenience of the user is Chromium Plating. All chasses and coachwork on American cars is now chromium plated, including radiator and lamps and everything which has been nickel plated. The result is that the chauffer and user is relieved from polishing. This again contributes greatly to convenience and has come into universal adoption within one year. So it is that anything which contributes to the convenience of the owner or user meets with a widespread interest and soon becomes an insistent demand. Of course only a few cars are chauffer driven here. We would be very glad to have your views on the subject of these new "internal geared transmissions". With kind regards, I am Yours very truly, [Signature] Copy to Mr. Hives. | ||