New Chassisless 12-seater
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INTEGRAL construction has been applied to a series 1 of 12-seat crew cars under construction for B.O.A,C, by Thomas Harrington, Ltd., Hove, Sussex, and an example of this vehicle will be seen at Earls Court this month. Thames mechanical components are used throughout, and the design lends itself to adaptation to delivery vans.
The underframing consists of 14 s.w.g. aluminiumalloy transverse beams, located to connect with the body pillars, and joined by short longitudinal members of similar material. The members which form the engine supports are of heavier-gauge alloy and riveting is used throughout the assembly, except where replacement may be necessary. At those points bolts have been fitted.
Additional framing strength is given by the 2-in.-deep corrugated steel section, and this is further reinforced by plywood flooring, which is attached to the; steel with Araldite adhesive. Access to gearbox, batteries and rear axle is provided by traps. The body side framing is constructed of top-hatsection pillars and cant-rails.
The front section has similar framing and the front panel, which includes the radiator grille, is detachable to enable the engine to be removed from the front.
A Thames Cost Cutter four
cylindered petrol engine, developing 70 b.h.p. at 2,800 r.p.m., is mounted below floor level as a unit with a fourspeed constant-mesh gearbox. The fully floating rear axle has torque-tube drive and radius rods. Suspension on both axles is by semi-elliptic springs with direct-acting dampers.
The overall length of the crew car is 17 ft. 8 in., and it is 6 ft. 9 in, wide. A35