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 C.E. Breeden discussing the market viability and drawbacks of a Turbo transmitter.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 156\4\ scan0112 | |
| Date | 30th November 1939 | |
| C.E.Breeden, Esq. -2- 30th. November, 1939. One interesting thing about this transmitter is that it was offered to the American trade in 1936 by the Bendix Company, and actually Bendix added one or two refinements to it which eliminated some of its disadvantages, but it did not make any progress. This is peculiar because the American public are far more averse to gear changing than we are over here, and furthermore, owing to their big engines they have a far better power/weight ratio than exists on the majority of English cars. Our opinion is that the most desirable vehicle for a Turbo transmitter is one having a high power/weight ratio. To mention a few drawbacks of the Turbo transmitter as fitted to the car we tried - (1) Above 35 m.p.h. one could get no better acceleration than that on ordinary top gear. (2) To accelerate even gently from low speeds such as 15 or 20 m.p.h. there is an immediate increase in engine revs with consequent noise and fuss. (3) A hill that could be climbed comfortably at say 50 miles per hour at 3rd. speed with an ordinary gearbox would probably have to be taken at 25 miles per hour on the same car fitted with the Turbo transmitter. (4) The engine cannot be started by running down hill or towing. (5) The engine cannot be used as a brake when parked on a hill or when descending a hill. With these drawbacks we should say that this Turbo transmitter has advantages over the Leyland type. As I promised you, you shall have particulars of one of the bumper bars we require by Monday next week. Yours sincerely, | ||