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 to J.S. Inskip discussing post-war development of left-hand drive cars and steering column changes for the American market.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\4\ scan0064 | |
| Date | 25th November 1939 | |
| J.S. Inskip, Esq. -2- 25th. November, 1939. As an example, the performance of our limousine Phantom III replacement, with facing forward seats in top gear is equal to that of the "Century" model Buick which we have got. We cannot give you a central change without a complete redesign of the gearbox. We have got out a preliminary scheme of steering column change, but we can say quite definitely that, again owing to the War, it would be 12 months after hostilities cease before we can get to the point where it is ready to manufacture. We would, therefore, like to ask you whether you would rather have a complete range of left-handed cars immediately after the War and put up with the disability of left-hand change, or whether you think this would be such a strong feature of sales resistance that you would rather sell right-hand cars until we can give you a column change or some alternative arrangement. I know you will say that the column change ought not to be difficult. The answer is that we do not know of one American column change which would satisfy us as regards the way in which it functions, furthermore we have a four speed box against the American three which means a completely new set-up. I personally, have decided that column change is an unmechanical arrangement and will not last. It has removed the gear lever from the centre of the floor in American cars but with our side change out of the way we shall not rush into anything else until we can get some-thing better than the column change. I very much wish that you could come over here and see what we have been doing in the last 3 years, because if you could I believe that you would be enthusiastic as to your prospectssof selling Rolls-Royce products in real quantities. I hope I may bring the first left-hand car we make over to the States so that I can get your criticisms of it on the spot to enable us to meet special American requirements in so far as is possible without prejudicing our home sales. | ||