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 column-mounted gear shifts and left-hand drive, referencing American automotive trends.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\4\ scan0077 | |
| Date | 13th December 1939 | |
| Rolls-Royce, Ltd.--2 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} America is not going to revert to gearshifts mixed up with the underwear of either driver or passenger. Why not do a column shift on all jobs, and then the left hand-ing is relatively easy? Column shift was adopted to clear the floor. Designers realized that bumps in the floor for the shift mechanism were to be avoided. Hence the shifting mechanism has been taken off the top of the box and put at the side or rear of the box. This is an essential part of the change. See Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, etc. The consequent simplification of the shifting mechanism has paid for the lever on the column. As written yesterday the real development, if you are able to undertake it at this time is the Olds. type of fluid flywheel and automatic shift. Such a transmission would also settle the long standing controversy of four speed vs.{J. Vickers} three speed box. If you get an Olds 90 you will have about the best job so far in production on coil spring suspension all round, plus the best job so far in transmission. The left hand drive is of course desirable as a common-sense measure of safety in handling. Personally I would not do this however if it involved anything so clumsy as a left hand lever hidden out of sight. JSI may not agree with this since he sells a lot to chauffeurs, but I would rather carry on and have a real job when I changed to left drive. With regard to the time of introducing column shift, surely to goodness you can get a shift lever on the column some time in the next three years? Very truly yours, for ROLLS-ROYCE INC. Maurice Olley Maurice Olley MO/d | ||