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).
Letter questioning the decision not to acquire a Maybach gearbox for the Phantom II model, despite its successful trial.
Identifier | ExFiles\Box 6\2\ 02-page170 | |
Date | 21th April 1931 | |
Copy. 1553 PN.{Mr Northey} 5/WT21.4.31. X2-2-e-rs.{Sir Henry Royce's Secretary} S/W. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}..from PN.{Mr Northey} Copy to SE. Referring to your HS{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rml7/KT.2.3.31. and your trial of the Maybach car in Berlin, I am not quite clear having regard to the heaps of difficulties, subtle and otherwise, which you are regarding the Maybach dog gearbox silent change scheme, why it has not been more practically considered the acquision of one of these boxes, which from your letter referred to, appeared to function excellently in every way, merely having the disadvantage of a rather fussy sound from three pairs of helical wheels idling in neutral. In your letter you refer to "the time element as being of such importance that we cannot wait and fit a Maybach box to the P.II", but as tons and tons of water are passing under numerous bridges whilst the gearbox is still puzzling everyone concerned, do you think it might be wise to reconsider the purchase of one of these Maybach boxes hastily? PN.{Mr Northey} | ||