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).
Trial of a synchro mesh gearbox in a Buick car.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 6\2\ 02-page177 | |
| Date | 27th April 1931 | |
| [Handwritten Top Left: H3] [Handwritten Top Center: XS-3] [Handwritten Top Right: XS-3. X3317.] [Stamp: RECEIVED MAY 28] To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Rg.{Mr Rowledge} re Easy Change Gear Corr to Mr. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} You will have received a note from PN{Mr Northey} saying that he and I tried a Buick car last Friday with synchro mesh gearbox. So far as concerns the easy change, we were satisfied that it gave one a very great advance over the ordinary type of gearbox and if, as I understand, it could easily be combined with a silent third, then I agree that it would give us practically all that we require. I am afraid that owing to time limitations we did not use the car over a long enough distance to be able to judge of other features such as steering but we took the car round Hampstead, up and down the hills, changed gear frequently and under conditions which would normally be extremely difficult and we came to the conclusion that any inexperienced person could make quite a silent change with this car. Synchro mesh certainly seems to deserve the attention of R.s., whilst it may have had objections a year or so ago, it would appear that they have been overcome and we learn that General Motors have been using it on some of their different makes since 1928. Rg.{Mr Rowledge} | ||