An Austin 2-tonner Shows America How
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Says L. J. Cotton, M.I.R,T.E.
IN 14 days I have travelled over 14,000 miles, mostly by air, from England across Canada and back into America, meeting operators of commercial vehicles and studying road conditions and the potential market for British products in the American
Continent.
With other Pressmen, I was the guest. of the Austin Motor Co., Ltd., Longbridge, which supplied a fleet of A-40 cars and a 2-tonner for a 1,000-mile trip, which included crossing the Rocky Mountains. I drove the lorry for several hundred miles, often averaging 45 m.p.h. arid more for long spells, much to the surprise and annoyance of the drivers of American cars and lorries, who could not compete.
The visit to the New World started from London and, after an avernight flight, I landed in Montreal. After a brief stay on the east coast of Canada, studying conditions in Montreal arid Ottawa, I flew to Vancouver, where I witnessed the opening of the Austin car and commercial vehicle exhibition, which was described in "The Commercial Motor" last week. The show was crowded and large orders were taken.
A cross the Rockies .
The trek across the Rockies started from Vancouver, where ears and a lorry were provided to take 30 drivers, passengers, food, stores and baggage on a 1,000-mile journey to Edmonton. At the beginning of the route, I drove one of the cars and averaged 58 m.p.h. for two hours. A fairly easy climb of 4,488 ft. to the Allison Pass failed to bring the speed below 35 m.p.h. in top gear, although the A40 was carrying two passengers in addition to myself and small luggage
All the cars arrived at the breakfast halt, Pinewood Lodge, within half-anhour of the scheduled time, the lorry arriving a few minutes later. The driver had been delayed while changing a defective fuel pump on one of the cars, this being the only technical failure in any of the vehicles on the entire journey . .
After refuelling; the cars and lorry were driven off on the next stage of the n4 journey to Vernon, a 215-mile hop, which, according to the arrangements, appeared to be a comfortable trip at a moderate speed. News of the venture had spread rapidly, and there was a delay in almost every town for a civic reception. In many instances, people had travelled long distances to meet the Press representatives and to express their praise of British-made vehicles.
Although driven fast, the convoy arrived an hour late at Vernon, and the 98-mile drive to Revelstoke .after dinner was made in darkness. Over 90 miles of fast travel across a washboard surface on a narrow, winding road completed' the first day's journey of 440 miles.
During the second day, 1 was co-driver on the 2-tonner, which made the 292-mile crossing of the Rockies
hours, including three stops, each of approximately half-an-hour. The route incorporated the Big Bend Highway and Kicking Horse Trail-235 miles of ungraded gravel road cut into the mountain, with sharp curves as it follows the course of the Columbia River.
Although other traffic on the route slowed on corners and rode the bumps with extreme care, the Austins took all in their stride without danger or mechanical failure. A vehicle could not be driven at more than 40-50 m.p.h. on the ungraded surface, and this was the speed maintained by the convoy.
The suspension and steering took heavy punishment from the uneven surface, and the only criticism I could make concerns dust-proofing. Higherpriced American vehicles have pressurized driving compartments which prevent the ingress of fine dust. A less expensive method would be to dustproof all panels, doors and around the controls where they pass through the footboards and scuttle. This is, in fact, done on many of the British vehicles, but it raises the cost by 25 dollars (approximately £8) and is optional.
' After refuelling at Golden, which marked the beginning of . the Kicking Horse Trail, the 2-turner was driven over 15 miles of earth road before reaching a good paved surface. Owners of American cars with automatic transmission systems were baffled when the smaller British vehicles swept past them on the hills, arid many complimentary remarks were made when the Americans arrived later at the overnight stopping point. In 94 miles of this section, the lorry used slightly over eight gallons of petrol.
The -remainder of the road journey from Banff to Edmonton was over good hard surfaces; and I drove the fully laden lorry 87 miles in 1 hr. 50 mins„ 'corresponding to an average speed of 43.5 m.p.h. This effort was improved on the final stage of 173 miles across the prairie on the main Alaska Highway, where the speed worked out to 465 in.p,h, at a consumption rate of 8.4 m.p.g.
After visiting the oilfields in Alberta, I travelled by aeroplane to Toronto, and on by road to Hamilton, where the Austin Motor Co. (Canada) has built a factory for pre-servicing v th i cl es dispatched from Britain. From Hamilton the Press party travelled at high speed back to the Torontoairport. The coach driver was allowed two hours for an 84-mile run. At 60 m.p.h. one of the rear tyres burst.
After crossing the border into America, a short visit was made to the sales organization in New 'York, and within 24 hours of arriving in America, I was on a coach travelling to the airport for the flight back to Britain.
Timber Haulage
Austin commercial vehicles have proved their ability to compete with American products in Western Canada, and many are working in the Columbian forests, hauling 10-ton loads of butts, and a large fleet of tippers is operating on the aluminium sites in Alaska. Others are engaged on oilfield development schemes in Alberta.
British vehicles are more economical than American, but because of high freight charges in Canada and America,. prices vary widely according to the point of sales. American products sold in Canada suffer high freight charges, but British vehicles, when shipped direct to the east or west Coast of Canada,can be marketed, within a limited –area. below the price of their comnetitora.