Design Tendencies in an American Long-distance Coach Some Details of
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the New Flxible Cl(pper C,oach With Chasâ– is-less Construction and Enine at the Rear HDROGRESS in the development of the long-distance
coach is proceeding apace in the U.S.A., and informa
tion ha-s just reached us regarding the latest Flxible Clipper 25 coach to seat 25-30 passengers, produced by the Fbrible Company, of Loudonville, Ohio. Actually the ordinary accommodation is for 25 people on ordinary seats, an extra five being carried by means of gangway seats where required.
The wheelbase is 15 ft. 2 ins., and the length over bumpers 29 ft. 34 ins,, the width 7 ft. 111 ins., height (with normal load) 8 ft. 2 ins., overhang 7 ft. 111 ins., and ratio of overhang to length under 7-24ths. The headroom in the centre gangway is 6 ft. 3 ins., the gangway width 1 ft. 4 ins., and the gangway height from the ground 1 ft. 84 ins., this being achieved in two stages, an entrance step of 1 ft. 2 ins., and an interior step of 64 ins.
The complete coach is designed as an all-metal unit with main frame members running the entire length, and crossmembers extending the whole width between the steel side pillars. Every member adds its strength; the vehicle is, therefore, strong yet light.
Specialty treated steel stampings are used for the pillars, gusset plates, braces, brackets, cross-members and longitudinal members both curved and straight, alloy-steel being employed for heavily stressed parts.
The framing is electrically welded, with body and roof panels riveted. The roof bows are steel stampings, and all curved panels die-drawn, thus ensuring uniformity of shape and interchangeability.
The near-side entrance door is of one-piece construction, 5 ft. 64 ins, high and operated from the driver's seat. An emergency door is situated at the off side, by the last row of double seats. Inside luggage racks of ribbed aluminium extend the full length, and attached to these are rubber ropes which serve to hold light articles, flexibly hut securely, whilst, at the rear, is a luggage compartment
150 cubic ft., the door of which is behind the rear wheel on the near side.
Illumination is provided by dome lights over the central gangway, and side lights harmonizing with the scheme of
decoration. Comfort is afforded by Firestone spongerubber cushions embodying large air cells. To avoid dust passing over, air for cooling and carburation is taken from the roof.
One of the main features of the construction is, of coarse, the location longitudinally at the rear of the Chevrolet six-cylindered engine, of 34-in. bore and 31-in. stroke, with straight-line drive to the centre of the axle. Dynamo. water pump, air compressor and oil filler are rendered immediately accessible by opening the rear door, whilst easy access is afforded to valves, carburetter, ignition system, starting motor, clutch and transmission through the large luggage compartment. The complete power unit can be removed in about 20 minutes.
The radiator is located above the engine, it, also, being readily get-at-able. A clutch with a 104-in. disc and moulded-friction facing takes the drive through a fourspeed gearbox, the second and third ratios of which have silent helical gears.
All control rods, gauge connections, etc.. are carried inside the vehicle at the left of the gangway, where they are out of sight but readily available for attention. Thence the drive is through a Spicer-jointed shaft 'with needleroller bearings.
Braking is by the Bendix Westinghouse system, with a cylinder for each wheel. The shoes operate in iron-alloy drums of I6-in, diameter, these being 2f ins. and Si ins. wide at the front and rear, respectively. The emergency brake acts on a transmission-drum.
With long-distance transport, the provision for fuel is important, and in this vehicle, in addition to the standard 40-gallon tank at the near side, an extra tank of the same capacity can be provided at the off side.