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).
Inter-office letter discussing three-speed gearboxes, central gear changes, and left-hand steering for the American market.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 137\5\ scan0065 | |
| Date | 27th April 1921 | |
| R.R.A. - 26-5m. -9-27-20 40233 X3720. INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE ROLLS-ROYCE OF AMERICA, INC. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. Oy9 - G 27421 April 27, 1921 Dear Hives: Re: Three-Speed Box & Central Change Replying to yours of March 30, on the above, I have referred this matter to Mr. Belnap and the Sales Department, as it is essentially a matter which depends on the customer's point of view rather than our own. Their opinion is that whereas it was advisable at the start of this company to adhere to the R.H. drive and R.H. change, it is not necessary to do so in the future, seeing that the American car is becoming established here, and that the American public has not displayed the doubts of the genuineness of the American product which we expected they might do. In reply to the last question of your letter (whether we consider three-speed box, central change and left hand steering any use for this country) our reply is in the affirmative. We should like to see this change coming along. Our first 525 cars (Series 20 and 21) are ordered up for R.H. drive and R.H. change, four-speed box, but for Series 22, which should be starting through the shops about January or February next, we should welcome the three-speed box and central change with left hand steering. This is providing the alteration to left hand steering did not entail such a vast amount of alteration to the engine (direction of rotation, etc.) as was at one time anticipated, and I think we should go a long way for the advantage of L.H. steering combined with the advantage of the centre change. But the central change with right hand steering is considered by us to be scarcely a workable proposition for this country. True, it is not difficult to change gear with the left hand (especially if we provide a simple H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} gate and long ball-headed lever) but no one else asks the American public to change gear with the left hand and therefore the American public would probably be very unkind to anyone who tried to make them do so. over | ||