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).
Advantages of a synchromesh gearbox after road testing it on a Buick.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\3\ scan0155 | |
| Date | 27th April 1931 | |
| To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} re Easy Change Gear sg{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD}13/E27.4.31. Copy to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} You will have received a note from PN{Mr Northey} saying that he and I tried a Buick car last Friday with syncro mesh gearbox. So far as concerns the easy change, we were satisfied that it gave one a very great advance over the ordinary type of gearbox and if, as I understand, it could easily be combined with a silent third, then I agree that it would give us practically all that we require. I am afraid that owing to time limitations we did not use the car over a long enough distance to be able to judge of other features such as steering but we took the car round Hampstead, up and down the hills, changed gear frequently and under conditions which would normally be extremely difficult and we came to the conclusion that any inexperienced person could make quite a silent change with this car. Synchro mesh certainly seems to deserve the attention of R.{Sir Henry Royce} as, whilst it may have had objections a year or so ago, it would appear that they have been overcome and we learn that General Motors have been using it on some of their different makes since 1928. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} | ||