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).
Performance and potential power loss of the Wilson Gearbox in a race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\4\ scan0105 | |
| Date | 21th September 1934 | |
| x2061 To E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} from HDY.{William Hardy} HDY.{William Hardy}3/HP.21.9.34. c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} Ba. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} Wilson Gearbox. When at Coventry yesterday we were told that on one make of car which ran in the recent Ulster T.T.race it was found that the Wilson box which was fitted reduced the top speed of the car from 85 to 80 m.p.h. due to the drag of the brake bands. There may be some exaggeration but when it is considered that there are four drums running in bands with very little clearance anywhere and possibly mere in places it seems likely that there may be appreciable power loss at high r.p.m. We were also told that neither M.G. nor Talbot used the Wilson box in the race. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Gry.{Shadwell Grylls} has proposed that we make tests on our E.N.V. box to determine the top gear bosses. HDY.{William Hardy} | ||