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).
Merits of a 3-speed gearbox versus a 4-speed gearbox for different car models.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 75\1\ scan0083 | |
| Date | 18th March 1919 | |
| X3426 To R.{Sir Henry Royce} from CJ. Copy to EP.{G. Eric Platford - Chief Quality Engineer} " " EH. " " Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} My dear R.{Sir Henry Royce}, RE THREE OR FOUR SPEED GEARS. The memoranda of Platford, Hives and Haldenby were, I am sure, the honest opinion of men who are in continual touch with owners and drivers. There is, I fear, no getting away from the fact that we must as far as possible meet the wishes of owners and drivers. I do not think you have ever appreciated, as others in the Company have appreciated, the horror that drivers have of the Rolls-Royce change gear. The fact that people are willing to pay considerably more for a car having a 4 speed box did not arise, as you imagine, from the fact that a 4 speed box meant a later type of chassis, - at any rate not primarily - it arose from the difficulty of changing with a 3 speed box, and the superiority as regards general efficiency of the 4 speed box. My opinion is that we may be able to introduce 3 speeds into the 20 h.p. car because the majority of people do not know of a Rolls-Royce 20 h.p. car with a 4 speed box, and if the changing of speed is made easier, purchasers may accept the 3 speed on the 20 h.p. car, but so far as the 50 h.p. car is concerned, I am afraid that we must have 4 gears. Yours ever, CJ. | ||