Plastics Panels Glued to Wood Uprights
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AVAN of 1,237-cu.-ft.. capacity built by The Wokingham Pantechnicon, Broad Street, Wokingham, Berks, for Lomath Bros., Ltd., 5-19 Rampayne Street, London, &W.1, has pigmented plastics panels glued to the uprights of the ash frame. The roof is also of plastics, and although the body is over £50 dearer than one panelled in metal-faced plywood, it is claimed that this amount may easily he saved because repainting is unnecessary.
Body pillars are 2+ in. by I in. section and are pitched at 2-ft. intervals. Each panel is 9 ft. high (thus extending for the full length from the cant-rail to the skirt) and 4 ft. wide. The panels are screwed along their edges to alternate pillars, but the main strength in their attachment lies. in the resin-bonding to the timber.
Use ol Pressure
Pressure was applied during the drying period of approximately 24 hours. The timber was roughened before application of the adhesive. Plastics L-pieces were placed along the pillars and rails on the inside to reinforce the structure; one face• was bonded to the panelling and the other to the wood.
Half-round p.v.c. beading, also pigmented to match the panelling, conceals the abutments of the panels and is fixed with chromium-plated screws. The roof was moulded in one piece 22 ft. long by the suppliers of the plastics components, C. F. Taylor (Plastics), Ltd., Ravenswood Avenue, Crowthorne, Bucks, and a central portion 4 ft. wide was left unpigmented.
This unit has no flanges along its edges to rest on the cant-rails, as it is supported by the roofsticks. These are of 11.-in. by 1 bent ash. The edges of the roof are lapped over the side panels. Front corners are of rubber and the dome of light alloy, whilst the head panel is of plastics. The integral crew cab is made of conventional materials. Curved Perspex quarter lights flank the windscreen and there is also a kerb-viewing panel. A Smith's heater is fitted. At the rear of the vehicle, which is based on a Bedford petrol-engined 5-ton chassis with Neville conversion to fully forward control, is a Brady roller shutter and a self-supporting tailboard of the walk-in type.
Distance from the cab bulkhead to the rear is 17 ft., and the height from the main floor to the roof is 8 ft. 9 in. There is a rear loading well. The Luton head is 5 ft. 6 in. long and 4 ft. 6 in. high. Interior width is 7 ft. At 3 tons 4+ cwt., the van is sightly lighter than a conventional type.