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).
Trial run of a Buick car fitted with a synchro mesh gear device.
| Identifier | Morton\M19\ img059 | |
| Date | 21th April 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Da.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} ORIGINAL EASY CHANGE GEAR. X.523. X.3317. Yesterday we had a trial run on a Buick car fitted with a synchro mesh device between the second and third speeds (three speed gearbox). As soon as one has got used to the operation the gear change is a simple, easy, and silent, under all conditions. A feature of the change is that it must be done comparatively slowly. It is not necessary to take any special precautions, a slow movement of the lever is all that is required. The car we tried had been run in about 10,000 miles. It will be realised of course that the synchro mesh has been fitted to Cadillac cars for a number of years and last year it was applied to the Buick car in a simpler and more robust form. From our experience up to date we would sooner have the synchro mesh than the Maybach. One has much more confidence in the fact that when the lever is pushed over you know for certain that the gear is in. We consider the fact that General Motors are, after considerable experience with this scheme, fitting it to a big production car like the Buick means that it should be reliable. We think it may be advisable for us to get hold of a car fitted with this form of change speed. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} [Handwritten note] Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} says Go for synchro rather than Maybach. | ||