A NOVEL IDEA IN DEMONSTRATION VEHICLES.
Page 47
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A Travelling Saloon in which Components Identical with Those Used in the Chassis are Set Out for Explanation and Examination.
AVERY unusual Vehicle was brought to us the other day for inspection by a representative of the McCurd Lorry Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Hayes, Middlesex. The vehicle is a single-deck bus body by St-radian and Brown on a 40-50-cwt. McCurd passenger chassis, and the Interior is equipped for component display and demonstration so that the demonstrator may, in all the comfort of a closed saloon, have available for explanation to a potential purchaser the three chief componentl of the chassis—the engine, the gearbox, and the . rear axle. These units are mounted on fixed pillars so that they are brought to comfortable eye-level, the engine lying on its side and having the bend detached and held a few inches away from the top of the engine casting by distance pieces, thelower half of the base chamber and the bottom half of the timing gear case !wing removed. The gearbox is available for examination when the lid is lifted off, whilst the rear axle is in its normal attitude and has the differential and pinion-shaft housing drawn forward and held in that position by distance sleeves on long bolts.
The salesman-demonstrator may, with such an outfit, call on a possible customer, demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicle on the road and then, taking him into the saloon, can describe the chassis and illustrate his arguments by reference to the features of the components, which can thus be more closely examined than is possible if one be asked to look under a bonnet or crawl under the chassis or peer through an aperture in the floor. At the rear, end of the saloon are'
two double seats and a folding table for the transaction of business. It is certainly an excellent way of equipping a salesman for his task of -selling bus chassis, because features of the design can be brought out clearly and with unusual emphasis, and with technical knowledge and experience available` points can so readily be argued with the part under. discussion opened lip in front of both parties to the discussion. There are many., features of design which cannot be so amply brought home to the potential purellaser unless the corn
ponent can be shown opened up and made available for explanation, whilst to many bus operators an inspection of the details of the actual mechanism is preferable to a clOse study of a set of blue prints.
Another point which struck us about this mode of demonstration was this: where soperfine finish is put upon the work, its character can be brought to the notice of the possible buyer.
Mr. McCurd is fo be congratulated upon the originality of the idea and the thorough and effective way in vvhich he has carried it out.