Ford's Latest Model
Page 47
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TIIE , private-hire ,vehicle is one that has a .definite place of utility in the realm of commercial ,transport, and since the ' paSsing. of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, it has attracted much notice from . coach operators and others i bees:Use, when not carrying more than seven persons (exclusive of the driver), it is out side the spee&limit provisions 2if the
lint schedule of the Act. 4; The Ford Motor Co., Ltd., is the latest important concern to market a vehicle of this type and it bears the apt name of Fordalette. It has been built specially for those concerns who undertake private-hire work and is equipped to give adequate comfort to seven persons, including the driver. The basis of the vehicle is the well-known Model A chassis which is extended to give a wheelbase of 9 ft. 914 Internally the body measures 8 ft. 91 ins, from the instrument board to the back-rest of the rear seat and from floor to ,roof the height is 6 ft. 2 in The rear seat is 4 ft. Ok in. wide, whilst the two folding seats ahead of it are each 1 ft. 1 in. wide, the front or driving seat being 3 ft. 8 ins. wide. The overall length and width of the Pordalette are 13 ft. 11 ins. and 5 ft. 7 ins. respectively, giving easy manoeuvrability.
The front seat provides roomy accommodation for two people, whilst the rear seat, which has arm rests, affords comfortable travel for three persons, the seating complement of seven being made up by the folding " cricket " seats, which, when not required, fold unobtrusively into the division between the front and rear Compartments: All six main windows are equipped with winding.gear and the windows above the partition separating the two sections of the body can also be opened or eleied at will. , There are two rear-view mirrors, one for the use of the driver and another for the use of the passengers, and in the roof 'of the rear compartment is a parcels net for .carrying ,small .articles. There are luggage rails above the "solid" part of the roof, and the folding section of the head is equipped with mechanism to facilitate its easy raising or lowering.
The, collapsable portion of the head is trimmed in black-enamelled hide, and leather—of a tone to harmonize with the Royal blue cellulose. external finish —is used throughout for upholstery purposes. With the folding hack lowered the Fordalette becomes an airy, open car Which is ideal for fine weather.
All interior fittings are nickel-plated, whilst stainless steel is largely used for the bright external parts. The equipment includes a safety-glass windscreen, four hydraulic double-acting shockabsorbers, front and rear bumpers, a thief-proof ignition lock, combination tail-lamp and spot-light, etc.
So far as the chassis is concerned our readers will be familiar With its chief features. The engine is a four-eYlintiered unit having a bore of -3.875, ins. and a stroke of,4.25 ins., the h.p. rating being 24.93. The clutch is a dry-plate component and the gearbox, which forms a unit with the engine, provides threo forward speeds. and a reverse.. The rear axle is of the three-quarter-floating spiral-bevel type and it gives a road clearance of 9 ins. The foot brake is of the internal-eipanding pattern and takes effect on drums of 11 ins. diameter on all wheels, whilst the hand brake operates independent internal-expanding self-energizing -shoes in the rear drums. The usual system of springing for Fords —transverse semi-elliptics—is employed.
The new model is listed at /335.