World Commercial Vehicles at Geneva
Page 52
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TEN countries will be represented by commercial-vehicle exhibitors at the Geneva Show,from March 14-24. There will be 52 commercial-vehicle models on view-15 from Germany, eight from France, seven from Britain, six from the United States, five from Switzerland, four from Italy, three from Czechoslovakia, two from Austria and one each from Holland and Sweden-.
Trailers will be exhibited by two German and sixSwiss companies. German and Swiss manufacturers will show bodywork, says a message from British United Press. A handsome new 30-seat coach, which will be exhibited at Geneva, has been produced by the Schindler Coachworks, Pratteln, an affiliate of the Lucerne Waggon and Lift Works, Switzerland.
To save weight, it is of chassisless construction, although light metal is not used. The wheelbase is 165.35 in., the overall length 370.85 in., and the weight 13,900 lb. The overhang is 94.3 in. at the front and 111.2 in. at the rear.
The independent front-wheel suspension follows car lines, with link rods of unequal length. An unusual feature, however, is that either a coil spring or a double rubber bellows carrying compressed air can be used and interchanged, even with vehicles already in service.
In the bellows pattern, the pressure can be varied according to the load, road conditions and speed of travel, whilst it gives progressive action.
Power is normally provided by a V8 Kampfer oil engine of 165 b.h.p., situ ated at the rear of the vehicle, The drive is taken through a ZF five-speed gearbox to independently suspended rear wheels.