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Extending only to the professional

8th August 1975, Page 44
8th August 1975
Page 44
Page 45
Page 44, 8th August 1975 — Extending only to the professional
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

assis extension is an art which can be ivied only by experience and application.

though Baico is under new ownership, the expertise has amassed over the years in this field remains

fohnny Johnson

:0, the long-established ;is extension company, is and well and living in Ion under the aegis of the nd group which bought the ,s of the former Chiswick company and transferred North London last Easter. te well-known name has preserved in the restyling the company as Baico neering Ltd and this new nisation has plans to 7id its activities to other : associated with chassis .ding installing lorrynted cranes and tail-lifts. ady, fifth-wheel installais beirg undertaken.

iginally the British and rican Import Company, D has been specialising• in riding or telescoping sis since the first .world beginning with the origiVlodel T Ford.

ien there was no maximum s and axle weights to end with. Nowadays, rd has to be paid to these rs though the work which company does on chassis not increase the carrying .city but only its " plat' " area.

'hy, then, would anybody to have a chassis ex.ed?—or made shorter for matter ?

ormally, the work is cm:ioned by a company which difficulty in satisfying its sport requirements using ufacturers' standard chasOften this is because the ght to be carried is bulky but of little weight. Alternatively, the standard chassis might not easily accept the kind of body which a company, for its own requinements, wishes to install.

Whatever the reason for wishing the chassis size to be varied, the company concerned is able to buy a standard chassis of the make it prefers and Baico will extend or reduce it to suit the customer's requirements.

Extensions of up to 120ln can be undertaken keeping vehicles within the 11 metre limit.

Peculiarities

Each make has its own peculiarities of which the staff at Baico are well aware. The Ryland group was fortunate in being able to retain the services of the majority of the existing staff at Chiswick so that the company's activity has continued almost undisturbed.

The first step in varying the chassis length is to remove the propshaft and raise the chassis on jacks before and to the rear of the area to be cut.

When the cut has been made, the two parts of the chassis are drawn apart to the required length and steel channel inserted to rejoin the two parts. This is riveted and welded for extra strength and a cross-member similarly installed when necessary.

To ensure speed of dealing with chassis of all types, a stock of steel channel of vary ing depth is held.

In aligning the severed chassis parts, care has to be taken to preserve the original geometry and to 'eliminate twist or other misalignment.

A new propshaft is fashioned by adapting stand-size components—cutting and welding on additional metal then balancing to ensure that there is no vibration.

This process must be undertaken with the type of skill and care which comes from long experience and the operative engaged on propshaft modification has been employed on this work by the company for many years. Indeed, the number of years of experience sihared among the fitters and other skilled trades in this type of work is most impressive.

Pipework

As would be expected, the pipework fitted on the original chassis is virtually useless on the extended version. It is necessary, therefore, for this to be renewed. It might be necessary also to reposition brake cylinders and fuel tanks and rewire the electrical installation.

After painting, the label giving the name and address of the company which has undertaken the modification together with Baico's job specification number is attached and the chassis is ready to be handed over to a bodybuilder.

From the brief description given of the process it is obvious that chassis extension is no job for the enthusiastic amateur..

Baico is registered with the Department of the Environment so that its chassis modification is accepted at DoE testing 'stations, for such work is a factor which calls for the vehicle to be replated becoming a notifiable alteration under Regulation 42 and 43 of the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1971.

Thus, when the vehicle is submitted for replating if a used one or for first plating if new, reference to Baico's label and specification will satisfy the testing station staff.

Though the company did, at one time, provide and sell bofly extension kits, this no longer applies for it has been realised that without the experience of dealing with various makes of chassis and the knowledge of the peculiarities of each type body extension can be a chancy business. The Ryland group still has a use for the body extension kit, internally, however.

As a nationwide vehicle franchise holder it is naturally anxious to be able to offer the facility on the same basis and to capitalise on its own extension shop by executing as much of this work as it can within its own organisation.

It is obviously uneconomical for vehicles to be sent from the North of England to Edgware simply for chassis extension or shortening, and hitherto much of this work has been placed outside the group.

The Ryland organisation in North Cheshire has had so experience of the work, hc ever, though it has not had • facilities to undertake it.

Kits

Therefore, the Baico orga sation proposes to make kits each appropriate for de ing with chassis of a parbicu make.

The North Cheshire setwill accept chassis modifii tions and obtain the necessa parts in kit form froan Ec ware.

A different proposition frc letting loose inexeprienc personnel on an expensi chassis which, when it received into a DoE testi: station, will almost invariat be rejected because t organisation or individt undertaking the work is n registered, Or the work unacceptable.

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