Did Rudge Inspire DAF

July 7th 2014

Sir,

With reference to the letter from Mr. C. Maddox in connection with the DAF car and his wife’s comment on the transmission principle being too new for some people to absorb, I would suggest that quite possibly this multi-speed belt drive was developed from the Rudge-Whitworth motorcycle of around the year 1920, (superseded by the Rudge-Whitworth mass-produced motorcycle with a four-speed gearbox), then advertised as the Rudge-Multi variable speed machine, (which could with care be worked up to 70 m.p.h. but it pulled a bit sideways at this speed), so I am afraid we must disappoint Mrs. Maddox in this respect.

It is quite correct that the smaller models seem to be favoured by elderly ladies. The DAF I hired for a time seemed to develop a strange hum at the rear, giving the impression you were being overtaken by a heavy vehicle. It motored quite well. Mr. Maddox’s mention of doing 85 m.p.h. ? Well, I don’t know, perhaps that’s new too. Telscombe Cliffs, Sussex. D. N. McCASKILL