Little and Large.

[David Stepney]

Quite a few cars used the transmission bands as a 'clutch'; Rileys, Lagonda Rapier and early Roesch Talbots all relied on this method.

I thought that Riley’s fitted with the Wilson box used theNewton centrifugal clutch. My 12/4 Adelphi (owned many years ago) was so fitted. I have no experience of Lagondas or Talbots, although I always fancied a Talbot 105.

Riley Nines fitted with either ENV or Armstrong pre-selectors also use a centrifugal clutch of varying types (1, 2 or 3). Apparently the final, type 3 clutch was prone to flying to pieces without warning. Friend of mine has a 9 and spent hours fiddling with the clutch and the idle speed to get to a happy state where the clutch is disengaged at tickover but engages cleanly when the revs are raise above about 800rpm.

Daimler’s used a fluid flywheel, which worked very well (unless it leaked from the rear seal). I still think that the Daimler transmission was the most civilised transmission ever.