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ARTISTIC FINISH WITH STEEL VAN BODIES.

18th September 1928
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Page 10, 18th September 1928 — ARTISTIC FINISH WITH STEEL VAN BODIES.
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A Go-ahead French Coachbuilding Firm which is Producing Some of the Most Attractive Vans Now to be Seen in Paris.

XTO one who has visited Paris recently can have failed to notice the very great improvement in the matter of general finish which has been made by French commercial coachbuilders during the past year or two. Whilst French commercial bodies are, in many cases, made more or less as a side line by ordinary coachbuilders, a few firms have specialized

in industrial vehicle work. Amongst the latter, Messrs. Facquetteof Bagnolet are worthy of special notice.

The Ateliers de Construction E. Pacquette et Cie. have concentrated upon industrial vehicle bodywork since the foundation of the firm in 1860 and since the coming of mechanical road transport they have always kept particularly well abreast of the times. The firm was the first in France to give serious attention to the manufacture of trailers, and the trailer department is now one of the most important sections of the Pacquette works.

It is, however, in the direction of all-steel van bodies that the firm appear to excel at the moment. Some of the latest bodies supplied to great department Wores such as the Frintemps are really splendid creations, compelling admiration even from the profane amongst visitors to Paris. Not only are the general lines of these bodies thoroughly pleasing and the colour schemes employed in decorating them most artistic, but the general standard of finish is very high' indeed.

Messrs. Pacquette appear to give the same care and attention to small details as a high class carriage builder would give when finishing a private car body. This policy has not unnaturally spelt Success for the firm, and the present output of the Pacquette works averages over 100 bodies per month.

Amongst recent Pacquette products are some special bodies built for Messrs. Pleyel, the Piano manufacturers and mounted on Latil chassis. The crew of piano shifters is accommodated in a sort of secondary cab on top of the body and Just in rear of the driving cab. Weather protection for the men is provided in the form of a folding leather hood. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that in Paris two men can deal with anything except the very heaviest type of full size grand piano. Two men will carry a piano up to the eighth floor of a tall block of flats without pausing for breath. Should the address prove wrong, they will cheerfully carry it down again and try somewhere else!

Another recent body is a travelling exhibition van for a firm of imitation

wood and stone panelling manufacturers. The sides of the van are fitted with roll-up steel shutters for the protection of the various sample panels carried. At. the rear of the van is a small cinema screen on which various phases in the manufacture of panelling are shown. The star exhibit is carried on the floor of the van and has the appearance of a three-ton stone block monument. Things are not what they seem, however, for the block is an imitation stone moulding weighing only a few pounds, its interior being entirely hollow.

Rather a depressing exhibit, but one of which the practical utility is obvious. Should you, for instance, discover that the soil in the particular site which you have chosen for the burial of a friend consists entirely of solid quartz, basalt, or• some other material which renders digging a hardship, blasting need not be resorted to. All that need be done is to lay the deceased on the required spot, cover the body with patent tomb, attach the tomb to the ground with suitable cement, et voila!

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Locations: Paris

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