by Gibb Grace
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A NEW FORD RANGE of light trucks and vans — the A-series — which has taken three and a half years to design and develop and cost more than £12m to put into production, is making its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show which opened yesterday (Thursday).
The A-series, like Transit, has been designed as "a European vehicle" and it is expected that up to two-thirds of the first year's production, some 10,000 units, will be shipped to the Continent, mainly to Germany.
The complete A-series runs to more than 350 variants but briefly the range comprises trucks, vans, tippers. artics and chassis-cab models in four wheelbases with four power units and three transmissions. In gross vehicle weight, or from the point of view payload. A-series spans the gap between Transit and D-series. Gross vehicle weights range from 3.5 to 5.6 tons for rigids, the artic model is plated at 6.5 tons, and payloads range from 1.75 to 3 tons.
A-series are being built only at Ford's Langley plant and export vehicles will be shipped in fully built. Some 1500 vehicles are already with British and German dealers.
Identification
The various A-series models are identified in the same way as has been used on D-series for a while now. A typical series number, A0406 for example, translates as A for A-series, 04 for 3.5 tons gvw and 06 for 62 bhp. The range is divided into three weight categories: A04, 3.5 tons; A05. 4.6 to 5.2 tons; and A06, 5.6 tons. The four engine options are coded 06, 2.4-litre diesel; 07, 2.0-litre petrol; 09, 3.5-litre diesel; and 10, 3.0-litre petrol. A05 and A04 models are available with all four engines while A06 models use all but the 2.0-litre petrol engine.
The A-series cab has a number of panels in common with the Transit and like the Transit it has a semi-forward-control layout. This configuration allows easy entry and reasonable access to the engine without the need for a tilt cab, greatly reduces the risk of overloading the front axle and gives an unobstructed floor, allowing three seats to be fitted if required. The driver is given a better ride than with a forwardcontrol layout and engine noise is reduced.
All cabs are factory painted and trimmed to a good specification; as with Transit there is a custom cab option which includes a wood-grain finish on the facia and doors, black trim, fully adjustable driving seat, dual passenger seat (except for van models which take a single passenger seat), bright windscreen surround, chromium plated front bumper and front hub caps.
All A-series models have a separate chassis frame and in this way are closer to a truck than Transit in which cab and frame are combined. A conventional channel-section-ladder frame of cold riveted construction is used which is torsionally stiff in order to allow the use of a soft suspension. Generally, the frames are unflitched but flitches are available for off-road specification vehicles. Flitches fit over the outside of the standard frame members.
The four engines available in A-series, two petrol and two diesel, are all built by Ford. The two petrol engines, a 2.0-litre V4 and a 3.0-litre V6, are slightly modified versions of Ford passenger car engines. Transit has used the V4 engine since 1965 but detailed changes including the adoption of valve-seat inserts, valve rotators and stellite valve faces have been made for its adoption in A-series.
The flywheel has also been revised to
suit larger diameter clutches and provision has been made for a preheat starting aid. The 3.0-litre V6 engine is used in a commercial vehicle for the first time and being of the same design as the V4 has had similar modifications made to it. Additionally, the double venturi Weber carburetter specified for the car engine has been replaced by a single-venturi unit.
High and low compression ratio versions of both engines are available. The 8.0:1 V4 produces 64.6 bhp DIN and the 9.0:1 version 67.8 bhp DIN, both figures being at 4400 rpm. Equivalent figures for the V6 engines are 100 bhp DIN (8.0:1) and 106 bhp DIN (9.0:1) both at 4650 rpm.
Of the two -diesels offered the 2.4-litre engine was introduced in Transit at the beginning of 1972. This engine, which is a parent bore design, is used in Transits in both high and low rated forms but
only the high-rated version — 62 bhp DIN at 3600 rpm — is available in A-series. The second diesel, a 3.45-litre in-line six, is used for the first time in a road vehicle although it has been available in marine and industrial forms since early 1972. This six-cylinder engine has identical bore and stroke dimensions to the four-cylinder unit and has the same design features. Common parts include pistons, connecting rods, bearings; valve gear and auxiliary drive. Unlike the four-cylinder engine the six uses Simms fuel injection.
Only one rating is offered and that is 87 bhp DIN at 3600 rpm.
As in Transit the four-cylinder diesel is mounted at an angle of 22.5deg to the vertical, but the six-cylinder diesel is mounted upright. To give adequate clearance and accommodate a larger radiator the cab and bumper are raised some 3-1-in. on models using this engine.
Single-dry-plate diaphragm clutches with cable actuation are used behind all four 'engines. The standard clutch for four
cylinder engines Fa 9.5in. diameter design and for the six-cylinder engines 10.5in. A 10.5 in. diameter clutch having heavy-duty friction material is optional with all four engines. This heavy-duty clutch is fitted as standard in vans, tippers and artics and is also mandatory for models with two trailers.
Gearbox
The standard gearbox on all British A-series models is the Ford type 4-310 which is also used in the lighter D-series models. This gearbox is a four-speed design which has synchromesh on the top three 'speeds only. This box is available in wide and close ratio form and generally speaking the close-ratio box is used in the petrolengined models. The gear ratios are for the close-ratio box 5.00, 2.44, 1.33 and 1.00 to 1 and for the wide ratio box 6.32, 3.09, 1.68 and 1.00 to I. For those operators who require synchromesh on all four gears and Turner T4-150 is available at extra cost of £51.05 and like the Ford box is available in close and wide ratio versions. The gear ratios for the Tuner box are 5.12, 2.62, 1.51 and 1.00 to 1 for the close ratio version and 6.54, 3.4 1.67 and 1.00 for the wide ratio version.
A second choice of gearbox is the German ZF S5-24 /3 model. This gearbox is a fully synchromesh five-speed unit which has a gear spread similar to the wide-spread versions of the Ford and Turner boxes. The ZF box has a higher capacity than either the Ford or Turner boxes and is recommended if much towing is to be envisaged, but is expensive being priced at £142.90 more than the standard Ford box.
Three types of rear axle are used depending on the gross vehicle weight. The lightest axle is a 2.6-metric-tonne design as is used on the heaviest Transit model; it is available in ratios of 4.62 and 5.14 to 1 and is used in conjunction with the close-ratio four-speed boxes on A4 models with 14in. wheels. The other two axles are made by Salisbury to suit the A-series range. The lighter of these has a design rating of 2.68 tonnes and is used on A04 models having 16in. wheels. It can be used with any of the three gearboxes and is available in ratios of 4.88, 5.13, 5.87 and 6.17 to 1. For models with twin wheels an axle with a design rating of 4.3 tonnes is used and is available in ratios of 4.88, 5.13, 5.87 and 6.17 to 1. All three types are of a fully floating design and have hypoid gearing.
Suspension Ford experimented with twin-beam independent suspension for the front axle but eventually came down in favour of the conventional, reversed Elliot I-beam because of its simplicity. A new front axle of 1.9-tonne capacity is used throughout the A-series range but the plated weight varies from model to model depending on tyre equipment and so on.
Long low rate minimum leaf springs are used for rear suspensions. Front springs are 1.3 metres (4ft 3in.) long and rear springs are 1.65 metres (511 5in.) long. Telescopic dampers are standard on all front axles.
All models except the tractive unit and some European models have dual-line vacuum servo-assisted hydraulic braking systems. A04 models with 14in, wheels have 10in, diameter drums front and rear; the front linings are 3.5in. wide, the rear linings 2.75in. wide. A04 models with 16in. wheels have 12.5in. diameter front drums and 10in, diameter rear drums; both sets of linings are 2.75in. wide. All other chassis have 12,5in. diameter drums all round with lining widths increased to suit the gvw. European diesel-engined vehicles specified for use with a trailer, and also tractive units, use an air brake system for the trailer brakes.
Petrol-engined models cannot be used with an air-brake trailer and are restricted to use with trailers of not more than 1.5 metric tonnes and fitted with Overrun brakes.
Integral van In addition to a complete range of chassis-cab models, A-series will be available as an integral van. These van bodies are built to Ford designs by the coachbuilders Strachan's at a new factory at Eastleigh in Hampshire. The bodies are based on a timber floor assembly and the body sides are one-piece zinc-coated steel pressings which are braced to prevent drumming and distortion. The roof panel is a one-piece grp moulding as are the rear corner panels, the front wings, the windscreen surround and cowl top. Front doors are hinged as standard but flushfitting sliding doors are offered as an option. A roller shutter or hinged doors which fold back flat to the body sides are available at the rear.
Two basic body sizes are offered: the two shortest wheelbases, 120 and 130M., take a 350 cu ft body; the two longer wheelbases, 145 and 156in., take a 450 cu ft body. These sizes apply irrespective of gross weight rating.
Factory-fitted drop-side flat bodies are also offered on all chassis-cab models, 120 and 130in. wheelbase models take a 10ft 2in. long body and 145 and 156in. wheelbase models take a 13ft Ifin. body and the 156in. wheelbase models only a 14ft 9in. body.
Two special tipper chassis are offered and these are the A0609 and the A0610. Both models use the shortest 120in. wheelbase and are available direct from Ford dealers equipped with an Edbro 2 cubic metre (2.6 Cu yd) all-steel tipping body with drop-sides and front-end ram. Bare chassis will be available for mounting custom-built bodies other than Edbro.
One A-series tractive unit, the AA0709, will be produced in right-hand-drive form only. This model is available only with the 3.5-litre diesel in 120in, wheelbase form and can be ordered with just the three-line trailer-brake connection or fully equipped fifth-wheel, special subframe and steel rear mudguards. Prices A04 models for 3.5 tons gross range between £1543 for a 120m. wheelbase 2.0-litre petrol chassis-cab to £1769 for a 130in. wheelbase 3.5-litre diesel chassis cab. A high-roof van on a 1451n. wheelbase chassis costs £2383 with the 2.0-litre petrol engine and £2501 with the 3.0-litre petrol engine on a 156in. wheelbase.
In the A05 (4.5-ton gvw) range a 130in. wheelbase chassis cab using the 2.4-litre diesel costs £1773 and a 156in. wheelbase with a factory-fitted float body and a 3.5-litre diesel engine costs £2105. Prices are slightly higher for the 5.1-ton gvw rating.
In the A06 (5.6-ton gvw). range the tipper chassis, for example, costs £1855 with the 3.0-litre petrol engine steel dropside body and tipping gear are available at £175.15 and /171.05 extra respectively.
The AA0709 artic chassis using the 3.5-litre diesel costs £2202 with fifth-wheel coupling and three-line trailer brake couplings available at £120 and £70,25 respectively.