1,500-cu.-ft. Timber Body for 30 m.p.h. Van
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QNE of the largest 30 m.p.h. vehicles with a timber body yet made. a Bedford 1,500-cu.-ft. pantechnicon has been put into service by Grange Furnishing St or es (London), Ltd., London, N.W.6. The body was built by Kingsland (Camberwell). Ltd., 246 Bromley Road, Catford.
The chassis, an AL5 model, was converted to full forward control by Neville, and lengthened by Baico to give a wheelbase of 14 ft. 9 in. Tyres are Avon 7.50 by 20, 10 ply-rating.
The body is based on nine Duralumin cross-members attached directly to the chassis frame. Sapele is used for the side pillars and tie slats, and ash for the waist, cant and roof rails and the roof sticks. The roof is of plywood covered with canvas; the floor and wheel-boxes are of hardwood, and the panelling is of metal-faced Plymax.
Plywood was used for the bulkhead. and ash for the cab framing and rear of the body. The bulkhead has an observation window. Three detachable tie bars fit into a selection of slots. Longitudinal members are let into the uprights. so that the complete lattice is flush, with no projections which might damage the load.
At the rear, two doors open and clip against the sides of the body, and a tailboard lets down to be supported 18 in. off the ground by chains. A full-width compartment for bed irons beneath the rearmost part of the floor is accessible when the tailboard is dropped.
Two interior lights are fitted to the upper beam of the rear aperture. A substantial rubber buffer is screwed on each side at the rear. Dzus fasteners enable the rear-wheel valances to be easily rethoved.
The cab has a Chapman Leveroll adjustable seat for the driver, a bench seat for two loaders and a collapsible seat fixed to the scuttle for a third.
Dimensions of the vehicle are as follows: Overall length, 25 ft. 3 in., height, 13 ft., width, 7 ft. 6 in.; interior width, 7 ft. 1 in., length from bulkhead to rear, 19 ft. 11 in., height from floor to first obstruction, 9 ft. 101 in.; Luton. head, length, 4 ft. 3 in., height, 3 ft. 6 in.; cab, floor to roof, 4 ft. 71 in.
The Luton head has a layback of 1 ft. 6 in. and the cab is tapered 6 in. The windscreen panels are 2 ft. 91, in. wide, 1 ft. 101 in. deep at the centre and 2 ft. 3 in deep at the sides. The tailboard is 3 ft. 6 in. deep and the loading height 2 ft. 2 in. Licensing weight is 2 tons 19 cwt. 2 qr. 19 lb,