NOVELTIE LOM THE CONTINENT
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SINCE the war German vehicle manufacturers have been producing models of pre-war design, and little time has been spared for development The new Borgward 3-3i-ton chassis, shown at Geneva, is the first sign of new -design, and its construction suggests that the manufacturer's policy is to produce a stable and sturdy machine, based on well-tried compo
nents. _
It is powered by a pre-war-pattern. six-cylindered 4.944-litre indirect-injection oil engine, which has an output of 75 b.h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m. Minor modifications have been made to the engine and its mountings. The combustion chamber in the head is almost Ricardo shape, except that the venturi is not tangential to the spherical chamber arid, injection is diametrical to
the swirl. A wide-throat venturi is used, which opens into the cylinder on the periphery of the bore. The compression ratio is 18 to 1.
Crankcase and cylinder block are an integral iron casting, whilst each of the two cylinder heads covers three bores. The camshaft and 'fuel pump are gear c6 driven from the crankshaft, and the remaining auxiliaries are operated by a belt and pulleys.
A condenser-pattern metal-plate oil filter in the lubrication system is operated through a linkage from the clutch pedal, so that the filter plates are turned at every gear change. The engine is supported in the chassis by a single mounting on the timing case at the front and at two points below the centre line of the clutch housing at the rear. Rubber-sandwich supports are fitted.
A five-speed gearbox is used in conjunction with a single-dry-plate clutch. The centre bearing of the propeller shaft is suspended from the frame cross-member by a relatively wide steel beam secured to the cross-member, at its extremities, by bolts and thick rubber bushes. Spiral-bevel gears are used in the final drive. The propeller shaft is equipped with mechanical universal joints.
The foot brake is connected hydraulically to all four wheels, without assistance, whilst an exhaust obturator brake is an additional fitment. A steel cable is employed in the linkage between the hand-brake lever and rear axle.
As the Borgward is constructed to perate with a trailer, the frame is abustly proportioned and the crossembers' have large flitch plates, iveted into position, to prevent lozenglg. Double-acting hydraulic shock bsorbers form part of the suspension ystem, which includes progressiveetion sliding-end springs at the rear. All moving parts ofthe chassis are iped to a lubrication system, which is sanuaaly operated from the cab. Semipherinal dust shields are fitted to the eering ball joints.
Swiss operators are confirmed users f light-alloy bodies for goods vehicles: n practically every Swiss-made body at le Geneva Show, including tippers, the ody sides, and in some cases the floor, /ere made from sheet or hollow-section ght alloy. Even the conventional ■ ody bars and bearers of the under, rarne are replaced by fabricated alloy uembers.
The full-fromed cab on a Seddon Eoods chassis, complete with seats for hree loaders, tipped the scale at only cwt. The body, with a wood floor, ull headboard and light-alloy sheet ,ides, weighed 9 cwt.
The body on one of the American iehicles had sides which were fahriated with hollow box-section nembers of 0.05-in, light alloy. End :aps, covering the open sections and the op rails, were made from similar naterial. The comparatively thick Elloy floor was laid on a fabricated mderframe structure of sheet and 101E0w-section members. No wood was anployed in any part of the body, and ill the components were joined with tlloy rivets.
Three sides of the -body were hinged. Ind a simple toggle-lever arrangement was employed to keep them closed. .An 3ye is attached to a toggle, which rides 'over centre" and engages on a claw matched to the adjoining side of the lotly. The weight of this body, oge,ther with its underframe, is less han 7 cwt.
Although these light-alloy bodies are ,!xpertsive to buy,operators informed TIC that practically no repairs arc required. The Seddon luxury cab -shown at Geneva cost over £400, but a light-alloy cab, with a more austere interior and space for six loaders, can Se constructed for £235. In many cases, the conventional body runners and bearers have now been replaced by a number of light-steel pressings, secured transversely, to the frame by U bolts. This method of construction was found mostly on the heavier vehicles.
Tipping bodies of all capacities were shown, many of them utilizing a three-way gear. The usual mounting system employs two box-section pressedsteel members bolted transversely on the chassis, the front member being located immediately behind the cab. and the second member at the end of the frame. The body is retained on these by a single locking pin which passes through a trunnion end.
Among the trailer exhibits, the Draize platform 15-tonner, built to carry road rollers, dumpers and agri Culture tractors, was of exceptional interest. 'Ilse main frame of the unit is of box section, formed by welding together two pressed-steel members. This main member is 10 ins, deep and 7 ins. wide.
The main frame comprises a single backbone, with two cross-members welded at the front and rear to carry the sub-frame of the body. The subframe is an all-welded structure with a heavy tailboard, which may be lowered to form the loading ramp. At the front of the sub-frame there is a manually operated hydraulic pump gear, giving a 20-in. lift to the platform. There is also a hand-operated winch at the front of the trailer for loading nontractive units.
Two articulated axles at the rear equalize the load to all eight wheels.
Space for tools. is provided by the hollow members of the main frame, which are equipped with me La L. doors.
An Alfa Romeo Dolomiti coach was the centre of attraction in the vehicle. demonstration park. It has been constructed for tourist traffic, and the corner. panels and cant panels are made of Plexiglas. Than -metal fillets joining the glazing gave almost unimpeded visibility all round.
The type name of the vehicle, made of a transparent plastic material, is arranged across the front panel, and, in my view, gives a "flashy" appearance to an otherwise
at tractive coach. Interior fittings include a wireless -set, with four loudspeakers, and a microphone. .
Making a short tour of Geneva in this coach, which has the cab over the engine, I .noticed the relativety little engine noise penetrating to the saloon.
LTC.