Caffort.
Page 35
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Commercial Three-wheeler.
STAND No. 99.
THISg little machine is of French origin, being, as it is, made by Caffort Freres, of Paris. Only one machine is shown on the stand of the sole agents in this country, Messrs. W. Rodda and Co., of 59-60, Chancery Lane, W.C., and this is fitted with a neat van body, also of French construction. The unconventional design and appearance of the Caffort are bound to attract.much attention, for it hears no resemblance to any type of vehielegon the British market.
The disposition of the engine and gearbox, which are carried in an upward extended hollow prolongation of the frame 4 is responsible for the unorthodox appearance of the vehicle when
viewed from the front The engine is situated behind the gearbox, and consists of two horizontally opposed cylinders, with a bore and stroke of 80 mm. and 100 mm. respectively; it develops 8 h.p. The engine power is transmitted through an internal .Ferodo-faced cone clutch to a gearbox which gives three speeds forward and a reverse, thence to the front axle by bevel gears and a vertical shaft revolving on the axis of the steering pivot. This shaft passes between front twin wheels, and as the distance between them is so small the ques tion has many times been raised as to whether it is correct to call the Caffort a threeor four-wheeler.
Pneumatic tyres are fitted all round and a spare wheel with tyre is carried on the off side in a special bracket attached to the body panel and the frame member.
Access can be had to the body from the rear through two doors and from the driver's cab through a divided: sectioe of the back partition, which is hinged at the top. Additional space for certain classes of goods is provided by a railed-in roof, and the whole effect is quite a pleasing one.