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).
Purchase of a La Salle car to test its synchro-mesh gearbox, with comparisons to Cadillac, Lincoln and Graham-Paige.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 22\4\ Scan013 | |
| Date | 23th July 1929 | |
| S/W Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} To H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. to HS.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}15/D23.7.29. Re: La{L. A. Archer} Salle. Referring to E1/M22.7.29, I understand that although arrangements had been made for the La{L. A. Archer} Salle Car to be purchased it is not too late to make an alteration. I think there was the double purpose of acquiring this car, i.e., the engine in connection with the private venture civil aero engine and the gearbox in connection with synchro-mesh, and I note that R.{Sir Henry Royce} would now like a Cadillac and Lincoln tried before a decision is taken. Mr. de Salamanca is over here for the Show and he was telling me on Sunday that the Graham-Paige has a very excellent form of simple change speed, which in his opinion was superior to the La{L. A. Archer} Salle. CMB., who was with me to-day, and who has just returned from America, tells me that the device on the La{L. A. Archer} Salle and Cadillac would not stand up under ordinary use in this Country. He also mentioned that if we wished to try the Graham-Paige it would not really be necessary to buy a car because we could easily buy a Warner gearbox from the Warner Engineering Company as it is this gearbox that contains the feature referred to. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||