Bent Ebro at ICE
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THE UK's second combined public works and international construction equipment exhibition, ICE 84, was officially opened on Monday by Housing Minister Ian Gow.
He re-emphasised the Government's commitment to privatisation and its policy of encouraging more tendering for local authority work.
Ford, Leyland and Renault Truck Industries were foremost among the vehicle manufacturers who exhibited at the National last week, underlining the strength of these manufacturers in the municipal sector.
Of particular interest on the Ford stand was an EWB (extra long wheelbase) model from the Transit range.
The EWB model was introduced at the Motor Show in October and has a wheelbase extended, at Ford's Southamp Above: A piggyback display of two Ebro L75, 7.5 tonne gvw vehicles attracted attention at the NEC but, from Nissan Ebro 'a point of view, for all the wrong reasons.
As is evident from the pronounced nose up attitude of the crewcab, the weight of the concrete mixer (about 4 tonnes) over the long rear overhang of the lower chassis cab was far too great, so excessive in fact that the long chassis has a severe bow in it.
Some of the less charitable rival exhibitors at the NEC, while leaning gingerly on the rear of the chassis, were taking long odds on the chassis lasting the week before buckling. Others only slightly more discreetly were talking of leaving brochures advertising chassis straightening on the Ebro stand. Nissan Ebro said its chassis is not bowed — it is "flexing" "and chassis are designed to flex".
ton plant by 455rnm to 3,452mm.
The standard long-wheelbase Transit rear overhang goes up by 200mm to 1,500 mm on this model, and kerb weight is in creased by 38kg.
The ICE show vehicle had a crewcab conversion by R. W. Osborne and Son while its tip per body was supplied and fitted by Birchwood Commercial and Tipper Company, for Dartford Borough Council, in whose livery the vehicle was painted.
The next ICE Show will be in 1988.