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).
Development and implementation of 'easy change' synchro-mesh gearboxes for the 25 HP and Phantom II models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 15\5\ Scan215 | |
| Date | 20th October 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to P. Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} 87310. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}1/MJ.20.10.31. EASY CHANGE GEARBOXES. We expect next week to be sending a 25 HP. car to France for 10,000 miles test, fitted with a synchro-mesh gearbox. Tests at Derby on the road and on the dynamometer show that except for a small amount of trouble with the reverse, this gearbox is very successful. The Works are going hand-to-mouth on 25 HP. gearboxes and therefore there is every prospect that we shall be able to standardise this box in three or four weeks and that it will be got on to production with the minimum delay. We are satisfied that with this improvement and with the improvements to the engine the 25 HP. car should be a good selling proposition for some time. The position on Phantom ll however, is going to be very difficult. The big car has always been the most difficult to change gear on, and from a driver's point of view needs the easy change more than the 25 HP. We shall also be selling the 25 HP. car with a much quieter 3rd. gear than we have on the more expensive model. One of the best sellers on Phantom ll is the Continental model, this car is in urgent need of a silent third and an easy change. We do not believe there is any alternative to scaling up the 25 HP. easy change box so that it can be applied to Phantom ll at the earliest moment. Times are so difficult that everything must be done to encourage buyers. We shall soon be the only car of repute still using the conventional sliding gears. We cannot expect to sell cars in U.S.A. unless they are kept up to date. On the question of loss of prestige in using the easy change device which is fitted to some of the cheaper U.S.A. cars, we do not think this is serious - nothing like as serious as trying to sell cars without an easy change. I think it would be generally accepted by buyers that if we go to the full epicyclic and have the gear lever on the column, that we should have cribbed it from Siddeley, Daimler, Lanchestetc. The 'crib' in that case would be obvious because of the novel position of the change speed lever. I do not believe, however, that if we stick to the conventional box and side lever that one percent of our customers would be worried or interested in how the result is obtained as long as it functions properly. The owners of today do not take the interest and pride in the technical details of their cars as they did years ago. Very few owners appreciate that we make our own electrical equipment | ||