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).
Suitability of a three or four-speed gearbox for heavy luxury cars and their ability to handle steep grades.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 49\1\ Scan221 | |
| Date | 12th October 1920 | |
| X 35745 To CJ. from R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. to EAC. c. to LHS.{Lord Herbert Scott} c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} c. to PN.{Mr Northey} c. to Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} c. to R.R. of America Inc. (For the attention of Oy). R18/G12.10.20. X 3436 X.3720 RE THREE OR FOUR SPEED GEAR BOX. X 3457 X 35745 It is excellent for Mr. Hives to point out that it would be unwise to have an insufficiently low change speed gear to meet the requirements of the heavy cars, and he points out that as matters stand with regard to the present production cars the three speed box would not be sufficiently low gear for the extreme cases he quoted of mountain pass altitudes, and excessively steep grades. My impressions are that people with heavy closed luxury cars would not think of going mountaineering, but might certainly require to go over mountain passes by the main roads, and hence, although we have not to meet the extreme cases, we should meet moderate ones. In the past we have sent out heavy cars with small ratio of back axle and three speed box, but except for the Alpine competition have never had complaints of a lower gear being needed i.e. statement that our cars would not climb all that was asked of them. Contd. | ||