A New Fast Front-drive Van
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The B.S.A. 6 cwt. Van has a Four cylindered Engine of 9 h.p., giving Great Power and High Road Speed. The Body Space is 75 cubic ft.
THE B.S.A. three-wheeled delivery van is already well known, as a result of the numbers which ate in use throughout the country, and B.S.A. Cycles, Ltd., Small Heath, Birmingham, has now introduced a somewhat more ambitious four-wheeled 6-ewt. vehicle, which has 09 h.p. fm.rcylindered water-cooled engine and a van body with a capacity of 75 cubic ft. The price of this latest product is £135, finished in blue and complete but for the trader's name.
With a bore and stroke of 65 mm. and 95 mm. respectively, the side-valve engine has a capacity of 1,075 c.c. As an example of its robust construction, it may be mentioned that the main and big-end bearings of the crankshaft have diameters of 2 ins., which is unusually generous for so small a unit. It is stated that the output is 24 b.h:p. at 4,000 r.p.m.
Lubrication is effected by a geartype pump mounted at the bottom of the crankcase. The normal pressure is 80 lb.-per sq. in. and the by-pass from the pressure-relief valve is connected to the tappet chamber, so that a continuous stream of oil is fed to the tappet guides and the camshaft bearings. The surplus is directed on to the timing chain.
Forward of the engine the design follows that of the three-wheeler, in which the drive is transmitted through the front wheels. The gear ratios .are• slightly lower, being 5.2, 8.5 and 17 to 1 in the forward direction, with a reverse ratio of 21 to 1. It may be recalled, that a worm drive .is. employed..
A32 and that the front wheels are independently sprung. An 8-in, internalexpanding brake is mounted alongside the differential casing, the drum being connected to the worm wheel so that the differential mechanism balances the braking effect on the two wheels.
A new chassis frame is employed and the rear suspension consists of a halfelliptic spring on each side, whilst the
axle is, of course, of the simplest type, and is dropped so as to provide a low platform level. Each rear wheel carries an 8-in, internal-expanding brake, the shoes being interchangeable with those in the port drum. The hand lever is, incidentally, intended primarily for parking purposes and operates only the rear shoes, but the pedal is connected to the front, as well as to the rear, brakes.
Silentbloc bushes are used for all the spring eyes, and Luvax hydraulic shock absorbers are provided at the rear, whilst the eight transverse quarterelliptic springs employed at the front are controlled by ordinary frictional dampers.
An interesting feature is the method of attaching the body to the chassis. There are four points of connection and at each of them the body is insulated from the frame by means of rubber blocks. The disposition of the locating points is unusual in that two of there are on the side-members of the chassis at about the mid-point, whilst the other two are on the cross-members, one at the rear and one just behind the engine. At all other points a clearance of about an inch is allowed between the body and frame, so that should there be any twist of the chassis this will not be communicated to the body.
The body length behind the driver's seat is 4 ft. and the extreme length inside the body on the near side is 7 ft. 6 ins., whilst the width between the wheel-arches is 3 ft. 3 ine, and between the walls 3 -ft. 10,1 ins.; the internal height is 3 ft. 9 ins. Some idea of the size of the vehicle can also be formed from the following external -dimensions:—Overall length, 11 ft. 8 ins.; overall width, 4 ft. 10 ins.; height, 5 ft. 5 ins. ; wheelbase, 8 ft. ; and track,. 4 ft, It is understood that the 11.8.A. fourwheeler can turn in a circle of 40-ft. diameter.
The vehicle has a particularly good road performance, it being capable not only of exceeding 50 m.p.h., but its acceleration is rapid and, of course, the brakes are well up to modern standards. .s With regard to running costs it is stated that in heavy traffic 25-30 miles can be covered on a gallon of petrol, but that on the open road some 40-45 miles can be run per gallon, The tank has, incidentally, a capacity of 4i gallons, including a reserve of a gallon.
Double doors are provided at the rear and the driver's cab has full-length doors with winding windows. Finally, it should be mentioned that the unladen weight is well under 12 cwt., so that the annual tax is £10.