FROM THE INSPECTOR'S NOTE BOOK.
Page 16
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Is a Change Coming in American Design ? Is a Change Coming
THERE HAS ALWAYS been a very big something as the difference between American and British chassis design. The ordinary purchaser has more knowledge of this somewhat intangible characteristic, as shown in the respective touring-car models, than he has of the lorry and van chassis of the two countries. Primarily, of course, he has found it easy to convince himself that in an American model he was getting a lot for his money—and so he was, so far as prime cost was concerned, but he has almost invariably found that the rate of depreciation has been out of all proportion to the corresponding
British-built type machine. .
The Americans have secured a tremendous market by their persistence in design on these lines, but, if I an not very much mistaken, several of their leading manufacturers, have already come to the conclusion that the day is approaching when the ordinary user will not want a machine which will cost him heavily for tyres, petrol, oil and replacements. He will not be so dazzled by the prospect of getting a great deal for his money in the first place, and of having to spend a, great deal of money for a very little in the second. In other words, American shrewdness in the developing of colossal sales records by quantity production of machines of great capacity for the cost involved is likely in the near future to be tempered by that very consideration which has always so dominated British production of all kinds in the past, that of building a thing to last. Cost of maintenance is going to be an increasing factor in the popularity of machines—as important as, if not more so than, that of prime cost.
The motor vehicle, which had its initial boom as a ready machine for pleasure taking, has for some time now increasingly forced itself to be regarded as a necessity for the everyday ordinary happenings of modern -civilization. The ordinary affairs of the day are increasingly dependent upon it. Its importance from a sporting and pleasure-taking point of view is becoming dwarfed, and its industrial development has gained enormous strength from war-period conditions. Upkeep and maintenance conditions will, therefore, increasingly bulk largely in the choice of all models in the future. Much American practice, as cqmpared with thstt of British, French and Italian manufacturers, will certainly be modified. The'Yankees are far-seeing in such matters, and certain of their leading designers I have reason to believe have " got the wind up" in this respect already
Hot Water.
I earned the somewhat doubtful distinction,. in last week's issue of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, of the publication by the Editor of two letters received by him from two correspondents qach of them by TIO means pleased with something correspondents, written. I am one who,
• rightly or wrongly, regards a long-drawn-out game of battledore and shuttlecock between rival correspondents in the columns of the Press' with trepidation. I must confess that I become bored very soon if such interchange of opinion shows sign of meticulous hair splitting. But with two opponents crossing swords with me in different quarrels in the same week. I must claim indulgence if I devote a few lines to my defence.
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All the way from the U.S.A. comes a letter from a famous firm of assembled live-axle manufacturers who, although affecting to be unconcerned with my expressed opinion as to the renewed interest that will be taken in chain final drives for heavier loads, as a result of war experience, have, found the time—and they must be really very buy in America just now— to •write in belittlement of my statement that the American authorities had not thought it inexpedient to order a considerable number of chain-driven army lorries. Since I wrote of the possible demise of the live axle—I find it Was so long ago as the 9th of August last year—we have now received particulars of America's standardized war lorry programme. These machines have live back axles, and it is evident that the Andericati authorities find that their big assembly-manufacturing programme will stand best ehanae by the embodiment of the live axle. I am of opinion that this decision in no way implies distrust of the chain drive.
I suppose I shall put my foot into it again if I suggest that American-made driving chains as a whole are not of such good quality as the home-produced product, but I have every reason for believing that that is a fact. I still recall the F.I.A.T, Co.'s reMinder in a recent issue of this journal that the Italian authorities pin their faith to the chain drive for most of the heavier work. I still recall the French military authorities' expressed preference for such a drive, and I -still have in mind information which reached me to the effect that the chain-driven lorry had given remarkable results in the hands of the British M.T., A.S.C. I have not, yet heard from the correspondent whOm I challenged to state the name of any British or other design of lorry live axle which had been immune from more or less serious trouble in-war conditions.' I remember the Foden and other well-tried chain-driven steam wagons. In a word, I am unrepentent, and re-affirm my opinion that the chain drive, far from dying out, has performed so well that it is assured of further and more widespread use in certain classes of mechanical' haulage design when production for civilian purposes comes along again.
The other correspondent, Mr. Munro Williamson is, of course, quite right to insist that certain vital parts of chassis mechanism must, on the whole, continue to call for the services of the trained mechanic. It would riot be right to suggest that the normal accuracy of running fits, for example, should be discarded, but in this connection I have a curious recollection of the extraordinary efficiency with which some old ma,chines will perform, when any pretensions to accuracy must long since have gone by the board. I have heard of an old shunting locomotive, almost disreputable in years, which was the only one of-several identical machines, all the others having been overhauled and rebuilt, which could haul a full train of ballast trucks up a certain steep bank. She was fitted with new bearings and lined up and smartened up all over, and try as he would the old driver, when he got her back, could never get her to pull the same again. I know, of some old horizontal steam engines, working under the vilest conditions, but of which the steam consumption on a brake-horse basis has for years re-mained quite economical. I know, too, of some remarkable old veterans in the steam-wagon business which can give points in respect of power developed to many a new machine but recently released from the works, and with every part fittinglike a glove. Undoubtedly in much mechanism the fineness of all fits, if not necessarily the closest, is the one which the machine makes for itself in service, but, of course, I. ath not arguing for slackness of workmanship per se, but rather that efforts may be made in the design which will eliminate, BO far as possible, the necessity for much over-accurate work.