A TRADESMAN'S CARRIER ON CAR LINES.
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V VIDENCE is not wanting, either III in this country or on the Continent, to show that many makers are devoting increasing attention to the design and construction of a threewheeled delivery vehicle built more on car lines than those of a motor tricycle. This week we are able to give some details and illustrations of an interesting German vehicle of this type Imown as the Steigboy, which has recently been put on the market by the Steigboy Apparatebau Gessellschaft, of Plagwitz, Leipzig, W.31, and which is intended for the conveyance of loads up to 10 cwt.
As will clearly be seen from one of . our pictures, the machine has a chassis of light pressed-steel construction. The motive power is supplied by a British Villiers two-stroke aircooled engine of 342 c.c., the Steigboy Co.'s rating for which is 2-10 h.p. The engine is located slightly behind the centre of the frame, in full view of the driver, and drives the single rear wheel through a clutch, threespeed gearbox and a 1k-in.-pitch roller chain. A kick-starter, as used on motorcycles, is provided, whilst the steering, which is controlled by an almost vertical car-type wheel, is of the irreversible worm-and-wheel
type controlling the front wheels. The chassis is supported on long semi-elliptic springs. Internal-expanding brakes are fitted to all three road wheels, which are shod with 27-in. by 3.85-in. low-pressure pneumatic tyres.
The chassis, which, it will be noted, comprises four main uprights of steel to form a frame for the body, is being made in two sizes, one having a load-carrying area of 5 ft. 11 ins. by 2 ft. 9 ins., and the other 5 ft. 11 ins. by 3 ft. 11 ins. The smaller chassis can be fitted either with an -open-truck or closed-van body, the larger being 'chiefly intended for use as an open truck, the sides of which are about 16 ins. in depth. The overall length of the vehicles—which are, it is claimed, able to carry a full load at a speed of over 30 m.p.h.—is 9 ft. 10 ins. and the overall width 4 ft. 7 ins.
The Steigboy vehicle not as yet being marketed in this country, and we illustrate it for the purpose of indicating to British * manufacturers what is being done in
Germany in the way of speedy delivery vehicles for light loads. It may, therefore, be interesting to add that the factory prices of the Steigboy are as follow : 184 10s. and 186 for the long and short chassis respectively ; 192 for the complete van on the short chassis ; and 189 15s. for the open truck on the long chassis. Thee prices, with the addition of the duty and carriage, would be too high for our market.