Two Useful Light Van Chassis.
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The Methods of Gaston, Williams and Wigmore, Ltd., Discussed from the Point of View of the Agent. The Vim and the Reo Chassis are Selected from this Company's Stock as Being Particularly Suitable for the Small Man, and their Construction Briefly Described.
The question of the desirability of taking advantage of the services of agents, when selling commercial vehicles was about ripe for reconsideration when war broke out. It has been a vexed question from the very beginning of the industry, and has been the cause of a considerable amount of bitterness for reasons with which we have dealt in previous issues. We have not space to re-traverse the ground here and now. The war, however, necessarilY shelved this question so far as it concerned British vehicles: The entrance of the American maker in considerable numbers into the British market, however, brought into being a new state of affairs. It was obviously necessary for him to sell through • an agent, owing to the distance of the consumer from his factory. . We had, of course, American commercialvehicle chassis in this country long before the war ;they were, however, few in number, and were not of sufficient consequence to affect the situation as regards agents or, indeed, anything else in the inClustry, to a marked degree. The almost total elimination of the British maker from the field, however, gave the American his chance, and with American vehicles, of course, came, of necessity almost; American methods of trading. These methods include the . practice of selling through an agent, and only through him. On 'this account, therefore, temporarily for some, permanently for others, .agents have come into their own. As in niany Other matters connected, .with the motoring world, the war, in a manner of B50 speaking, "put on the clock." There are now grounds for holding, from the point of view of the agent, and also, we think, for the general good of both user and manufacturer alike, that this " summer time" of the commercial-motor agent will not lapse with the war.
As concerning American commercial-vehicle sales, there is one establishment, the nature of which is such that it marks an epoch in this department of the industry. We refer to that of Gaston, Williams and Wigmore, . Ltd., of Alexandra HouSe, Kingsway, 'London, WC., known now by its works, by its sales, and, last but not least, by its advertising throughout the whole of the United Kingdom, and, though perhaps to a less extent, in France and in Russia. Its unusual feature lies in the fact that it is agent for such a large and varied assortment of vehicles, differing both in respect of their capacities and design and also in the factory from which they have originated. Such an agency as this, we are aware, has its counterpart in the touring-car world. A similar establishment, however, has not hitherto been experienced in connection with the heavier side of motoring. It is with this company's arrangements, and, in particular, with the scope which it offers to agents, that we seek to deal fully in this article. Especially are we concerned with two of the many vehicles which it sells. We refer to the Vim and the Reo chassis for net useful loads of 10 cwt. and 16 cwt. respectively. For the small agent, or for those who have.
not previously dealt in commercial vehicles, an 'excellent opportumty to commence in a small,way, without the necessity for enlargement of premises to cope with the greater bulk of the heavier type of chassis, is offered in these two vehicles.
We have dealt with both of them at some length in our pages. The smaller, the Vim, was described in detail in our issue of 20th April of this year. , As we then stated,' it is a remarkably sturdy production, and well adapted to carry the load specified. Its design is notable for the.absenee of any similarity to a touring chassis ; it is obviously made for commercial work, and cannot by any stretch of 'the imagination, be considered as a possible basis for a touring car. The construction is on sound • lines,incorporating a unit-built engine, clutch, and gearbox ; the drive thence is by propeller shaft to bevelgears on the back axle. From the point of view of the agent, who has to bear in mind the possibility of having occasionally to undertake overhauls of the machines he sells, and who knows that only by managing to perform this operation in a phenomenally short space of time, whilst nevertheless effecting all needful renewals and repairs, can he obtain the approval of his client, the design of the machine is sound. Unit construction is only to be condemned on account of inaccessibility of large and unwieldy components. With a small chassis like this one, the engine being a fourcylinder of 3 in. bore, it is possible on the occasion of the overhauls; to lift the whole unit en bloc,
put it on the bench, perform the necessary work, and then replace it. Other details include the provision of a leather-lined cone clutch, with a generous allowance of friction surface ; ample brakes, both operating on drums in the rear wheels, and a simplicity concomitant with the transmission of torque and drive through the rear road springs. Altogether it can cer
thinly be recommended as a machine for which there is a large and ever-increasing market. There• are probably a dozen potential users of a small van like this-for every on requiring a three-tonner. It Should appeal particularly to the man doing business in comparatively a small way, owing to the small capital outlay necessitated.
Gaston, Williams and Wigmore, Ltd., markets the Vim in chassis form, for which the list price is 2200, or fitted with an Express delivery body at 2222. Other styles are available at corresponding prices.
The Reo, for 15-cwt. net loads, is a rather more ambitious machine.
It was described very fully by us on the 30th September of last year, and we also made further reference to it on the occasion of the 50-mile trial of a loaded vehicle in our issue for the 18th May of this year. We say more ambitious because this vehicle represents an advance on ordinary commercial-vehicle practice, if only by reason of the inclusion as a standard fitting of an electriclighting, ignition and starting set. An examination of this chassis reveals that, like the Vim, it is evidently built for commercial work. Being a heavier chassis throughout than the other? it is important to note, bearing in mind the stateinpnt above concerning overhauls and the need for accessibility, that in this case the engine and gearbox are separate ; the former is, of course' a four-cylinder unit with pair-cast cylinders, and the unusual feature of overhead induction valves:* The generating set is carried in the position normally occupied by the magneto, on the
off side of the engine. furnishes current to astorage battery, carried as a rule under the seat, providing current at six volts. The starting motor is mounted at the front end of the gearbox, and is operated by means of a foot pedal. The clutch is a dry disc one, and transmits to a three-speed gearbox, from which the drive is by propeller shaft to bevel gears in the live rear axle. This chassis emanates from one of the oldest motor-manufacturing firms in America, that of R. E. Olds, the original makers of the Oldsmobile chassis. Some idea as to its reliability may be gathered from this statement, and we have good accounts of it from various sources, as well as of its bigOr brothers, not marketed h.ere, which
• are doing yeoman 'service with General Smuts's transport columns operating in German East Africa. The list price of this chassis, we understand, is at present 2295. It is, of course, suitable for a variety of styles of bodywork, and with an enclosed van makes as handsome a vehicle as we have seen.
Gaston, Williams and Wigmore's methods of business and its deal ings with agents are such as-to engender that satisfaction and confidence which are so essential if permanent business relations are to result. The company's policy as regards information concerning chassis available or likely to become so within a given period is of the freest. Mr. Rowan tells us that his endeavour is always to enable the agent to give an inquirer a definite statement as regards delivery, so that he can make promises which there is every likelihood that he will be able to fulfil.
A monthly stock sheet is issued, which gives a complete list of other models which are available for immediate delivery. The agent for any one of the types handled by this company can, if be receives an inquiry for any other, obtain full information within 24 hours as to availability, delivery date, and price. That over-riding commission must be given to the actual district agent colthe model sold goes without saying, of course. In respect of price, the company makes a rule that its list price must not be cut, and this rule is very strictly enforced. It has, since the commencement, been its policy always to have on hand a sufficiency of the necessary spares, the object being not so much merely to have a spare part for delivery; but to actually assist the user so that he loses as'little time as is htrmanly possible before getting his vehicle back in service.
As concerns publicity, we think that very little need be said, as any agent or prospective agent who opens a periodical at all will have seen some of the company's advertisements. A series of live "ads." has been continuous and consistent since the company commenced business. All grades and trades of journal are included, and the agent will have no possible reason for complaint on this score.