Coach Operator Builds Goods Vehicle
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Design of 7-8-tonner Based on Passenger Vehicle : New Coach Chassis has Meadows Underfloor Oil Engine EARLY this year The Commercial Motor carried out a road test of a Meadows-engined lightweight coach chassis built by Rowe's Garage, Dobwalls, Cornwall, and an exclusive report appeared in the January 15 issue. Mr. M. G. Rowe, who is the proprietor of the firm and a coach operator, designed and built the vehicle to meet the arduous conditions in the area, having in mind a reduction in fuel and tyre costs.
Following on this passenger chassis with forward-mounted engine, the concern has now built a goods chassis which has a payload rating of 7-8 tons. The specification differs some what from that of the coach chassis but a Meadows 5.43litre direct-injection oil engine is also used in this version.
This unit develops 85 b.h.p. at 2,200 r.p.m., and produces a maximum torque of 239 lb.-ft.' at 1,200 r.p.m. Mounted as a unit with it is a Meadows five-speed direct-drive-top gearbox. 1VIetalastik bonded supports in compression and shear at the front and bobbin-type units at the rear provide a resilient mounting.
A 14-in.-diameter single-dry-plate clutch is used and from the gearbox the drive is taken to a spiral-bevel rear axle by a two-piece propeller shaft with resiliently supported centre bearing. The longitudinal members of the frame are straight on the underside, but taper towards the ends on top. These are braced by six substantial cross-members.
The semi-elliptic springs in the suspension system are heavier than those used on the passenger vehicle and the frictional area of the brakes has been redistributed as between the front and rear units. Drums of 16-in, diameter, with 3-in.-wide facings, are used at the front and at the rear the drums are 15 in. in diameter with 4i-in. facings. Operation is by a Clayton Dewandre 687 vacuum servo and Girling hydraulic mechanism. The shoes are of the Girling two-leading-shoe type.
On View Outside Show During the Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court, this prototype will be on view in the forecourt of West Brompton station and will be available for demonstration runs. It will have a Jennings platform body and a roomy cab with a deep, wrap-round, curved windscreen.
Following the present trend towards the adoption of the underfloor engine, the latest Rowe passenger chassis is of this type. The Meadows engine has been modified for horizontal mounting and takes up a position midway in the chassis. The unit is mounted in the frame as to bring it within the limits of the longitudinal members, which have been swept out for this purpose. Thus, the crankshaft is off centre, the single propeller shaft having an angular transmission line to the central axle pot.
Included in the specification is a 14-in.-diameter singledry-plate clutch, Meadows five-speed overdrive-top gearbox and fully floating hypoid-driven rear axle.
This vehicle will also be available outside the show in the form of a 37-seat coach with Whitson body. The chassis weight is 2 tons 19 cwt.
It is expected that in this modified form the Rowe coach will give a performance superior to that put up during road test by The Commercial Motor. A fuel-consumption return of 15.5 m.p.g was obtained over a route demanding frequent and long use of the lower ratios.
On a! level run the satisfactory figure of 20.4 m.p.g. was returned at an average speed of 31.6 m.p.h. The acceleration figures obtained proved the liveliness of the vehicle, as, through second, third and fourth gears, 30 m.p.h. was reached from a standing start in only 34 sec.