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 M. Wilks of The Rover Company Ltd. regarding synchromesh gearboxes, streamlining, and braking systems.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 127\2\ scan0126 | |
| Date | 25th January 1939 | |
| 1091 Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}4/MH.{M. Huckerby} 25th. January, 1939. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Wilks, Esq., The Rover Company Ltd., New Meteor Works, COVENTRY. Dear Wilks, I am intrigued by the idea of operating a standard synchromesh box with magnetic clutches. We should like to have a go at assisting you in the development of this particular design, and wonder whether we could come over and have a look at the pieces already in existence in the immediate future. I enjoyed our talk yesterday, but, of course, did not cover half the ground. I wanted to have a talk to you about bearings, cylinder bore wear, prop shaft joints and a lot of other things. We might continue where we left off when I come over. Talking of streamlining, in 'The Motor' of January 24th. there is a picture of the Bugatti which won the 1939 Le Mans Race. This represents our idea of how to make a streamlined open touring car, but it is fairly ugly. As a matter of fact, we made a model of E.R.Hall's Bentley which was almost exactly like this but he said it could not be handled in a road race. Would it be possible to fit one of our cars with the Hydrostatic Brake System? Yours sincerely, | ||