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).
Merits of a 4-speed gearbox over a 3-speed for future cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 137\5\ scan0003 | |
| Date | 11th February 1919 | |
| X.3720 COPY. R.{Sir Henry Royce} from EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c. to EH. c. to Oy. ----------- X.3614 EP{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer}17/F11219. 11th. February, 1919. ------------------------- I was very surprised to hear from Mr.Olley that on future cars we should use only the 3-speed gearbox. Our experience both with the cars themselves for all-round use, and regarding customers' satisfaction, is that the 4-speed gearbox with the present comparative ratios is certainly the most popular. I have never yet come across a customer who has a 4-speed gearbox who would prefer the 3-speed. On the contrary, quite a number of customers who have the 3-speed gearbox have desired the 4-speed type. It was definitely proved in the Austrian trials that the car could not do the work on a 3-speed box which it could do with a 4-speed. I quite appreciate Mr.Olley's point that for America, the 3-speed box may be all that is required, but at the same time, he agrees that the fact of the car having a 4-speed box would not be any disadvantage from a selling point of view, the only disadvantage being that it was considered unnecessary. For all other countries, however, I feel sure that the 4-speed gearbox is desired, as proved by our own and customers' experience. EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} | ||