Coach body for 2-seater
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• As opposed to a converted van, a 12seater p.s.v. body has been specially constructed for the Ford Transit chassis by W. and H. Fowler of Leyland, Lancs, to give a roomy and comfortable luxury coach.
Starting with the 35cwt long wheelbase diesel-engined chassis/cab. Fowler has built the "Friendly Twelve" with a mild steel frame body having continuous waist and cant rails. It is 17ft 6in. long, 7ft wide and 8ft high overall, weighing 1 ton 15cwt unladen. It is envisaged in future that the 5ft headroom will be raised by 6in. and there will be a 9in. increase on the overall length. The exterior panelling is in 18 s.w.g. aluminium and has glass reinforced plastics front and rear dome panels.
Interior panelling to the waist and the centre roof are in Wareite, the waist rails being padded and covered with black PVC. The window surrounds and cove panels are in red PVC. This colour scheme is continued in the sprung moquette seats, there being four doubles and four singles divided by a good gangway. With a seat re-arrangement, local authority health departments could find the design ideal for invalid or aged passengers. Fitted with bench seats at the sides and front, 16 people could be accommodated for the conveyance of school children, for instance.
The passenger entrance is at the centre rear and is served by two easy steps between which it has been decided to incorporate the tool box in future. At present the box is fitted under the generous luggage division which is accessible from the normal nearside door. It is divided from the main saloon by a transverse waist-high partition and there is a similar division between luggage and driver. This provision for luggage could make it ideal for hotel work.
The first vehicle built for J. Fishwick and Sons, an associate company, is now on contract hire work and the two full view side windows with top sliding glasses give unrestricted vision when touring.
Two ventilators in the roof circulate the air but during a demonstration run I felt that the heater, run off the engine's unit, was no more than adequate.
Price for the diesel-engined coach is £2,275 and petrol £2,150.