THE S.P.A. FOUR TON CHASSIS.
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An Italian Product Designed for Heavy Duty in Mountainous Country.
ANEW ARRIVAL in this country is the S.P.A. four ton chassis. Many vehicles of this make are employed on omnibus work in Italy. This work, as will be fully understood by those cognizant of the country, is of a particularly arduous nature. The roads are in many cases extremely precipitous, and wind round mountain sides with a sheer drop at one sidein a manner calculated to give the average English omnibus driver nervous prostration. As a consequence, S.P.A. vehicles are thoroughly well designed and constructed for exceptionally heavy work, and they are particularly useful for employment in confined ,spaces such as railway yards, as the front wheels are provided with an unix:malty large. lock. They can, in fact, be turned completely round quite easily in a road of normal width.
The company have concentrated on a
four ton type chassie, but this can be obtained in short or long wheelbase, elm difference between the two being 1 ft. -4 ins., and the prices are £1,075 for thd short chassis, or, with lorry body, 21,195; and £1,125 for the long chassis, or, with lorry body, £1,245.
The four-cylindered monobloc engine is
• very similar in its general construction to that fitted to S.P.A. private oars. Its design is exceptionally clean, and all the working parts are completely enclosed, even the fan being supported on the timing gea.rease and driven direct from the timing gears. A continuation of the fan spindle acts as the rotor of the centrifugal type water-pump. A novel feature, about this pump is that its casing forms a part of the cylinder block and its outlet is within the water-jackets.
All the valves are on the near side, and the tappets are completely enclosed by a single plate. The magneto is also situated at the near aide of the engine, and driven direct from the timing gears. A very large inspection plate is bolted to the crankcase, and through this big-end adjustments can be effected. '
The carburetter is close up to the centre of the cylinder block, and, to all intents and purposes, there is no inlet pipe, the mixture being conveyed through ducts in the casting. The engine is supported on a strong cast-steel frame.
A honeycomb radiator is attached to the frame by means of two supports, which are capable of swivelling.
The flywheel is of large diameter, and to it is bolted the dry-diee-type clutch.
A short shaft connects, the clutch and gearbox shafts by means of muff couplings,. The gearbox gives four speeds forward, and the ratio of one speed to another is 1 to 14. The selector mechanism is contained in a separate cast-aluminium case slung from a cross member in a line with-the change-speed lever. The selector rods are contained in a pressed-steel casing some 4 ft. 6 ins. long.
The gearbox, which is combined with the differential casing, is supported from two slightly arched cross members. On each chain sprocket shaft is a brake drum provided with external contracting shoes.
The chains are totally enclosed by pressed steel casings, which are reinforced on their inner fazes so that they can act as radius members. The hand brake operates on large-diameter drums, which are also protected from the entry of dirt.
The sole concessionnaires for this interesting vehicles are Vandys, Ltd., 27a, Penrbridge Villas, Notting Hill Gate, W.