Mellor works Dormobiles in Transit
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on B Series on B Series
• Mellor Coachcraft is one of the first bodybuilders to body the Renault B Series chassiscowl.
The Rochdale-based Plaxton Group subsidiary has updated a three-year-old body it currently builds on the Iveco Daily chassis. It has a new front which has a swept-back, one-piece, curved windscreen. The body has rounded corners and is one third aluminium and two thirds GRP.
The PCV will be available from Mellor as an accessible bus or coach with 16 to 28 seats. • FSV Dormobile, which was rescued from the receiver last month, is believed to be the first British PCV firm to work on a chassis-cowl of Ford's successor to the Transit panel van (CM 1-7 Aug).
The Folkestone-based welfare, mini and midibus specialist is developing a bus range from 5.3m to 5.8m long for Ford's new van which will be launched in Germany at the Frankfurt Show later this month and will reach UK dealers on 10 October (CM 5-11 Sept).
Next year FSV Dormobile will offer the chassis-cowl as a PCV with capacity for 16-20 seated and four or five standing passengers or a mobility bus, which will take up to 16 removeable seats depending on the number of wheelchairs carried.
The new body design has an aerodynamic swept-back front, with a one-piece curved windscreen. FSV Dormobile says it
is not altering the front of Ford's chassis-cowl.
The vehicle's GRP front, roof and rear keep its weight down and allow for easy repairs. Its sides are made of aluminium cladding built on to a galvanised steel frame.
FSV Dormobile is working on a 5.3m chassis-cowl with a 3m wheelbase, which can be fitted with a two-litre petrol or 2.5litre diesel engine.
Current orders ensure the firm will be working at full capacity until November.
It expects to produce more than 500 vehicles this year: 80% welfare and 20% mini and midibuses and coaches.