ONE CHASSIS FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.
Page 64
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Type of Interchangeable Body which Enables a Touring Car to be Adapted for Commercial Work.
TIIERE is little question that in certain branches of business, particularly those in which the small tradesman plays a notable part, the introduction of interchangeable types of body
has proved a veritable boon. Many of the smaller tradesmen find it inexpedient to commit themselves to the purchase of two distinct vehicles for different purposes and, accordingly, it is not surprising that they have turned to the use of interchangeable bodies to enable them to run one chassis both for business and pleasure purposes, The average in expensive touring-car chassis of to-day is, generally speaking,. capable . of undertaking certain classes of commercial • work quite successfully, providing it is not overloaded, and its adaptation for such duties is usually a simple matter. .
A company which has-specialized in the manufacture of interchangeable bodies for transport uses is Whitehead and Furness, Ltd., .Cecil Street,.Dukin. field, and its products have achieved such success that the company now claims that they are in use by all classes of tradesmen in over 400 towns in Great Britain and that its types of body have been adapted to no fewer than 20 different makes of chassis.
It may be thought that the sphere of use for the interchangeable body as applied to toltriiag cars is somewhat limited, but, nevertheless, it is interesting to know that considerable developments have been made in this direction. As an instance of this progress, we can refer our readers to the accompanying illustrations, which show a Morris n38
Cowley four-seater touring car that has been adapted to meet the commercial needs of a butcher by the employment of the W. and F. interchangeable body. This is a special pattern, which has sides protected by roller shutters, and possesses advantages over the more orthodox form of van body. In the main, it consists of a flat platform body with a light and substantial weatherproof roof constructed of oak laths, these being covered with a goodquality canvas and a black-grained Itexine. rubber-cloth. The line of the roof is carried from the back-board to the windscreen, and the provision at the -sides of the cab of side curtains which open with the doors ensures absolute protection for the driver.
Immediately behind the driver's seat is a boarded partition with a built-in glass light. The back is also boarded up and incorporates a glass light which is protected on the inside by bars. One of the illustrations serves to show that ample loading space is available, and the' actual dimtinsions of the body are as follow: Length behind driver's seat, 5 ft. '2 ins.; width, 5 ft.; height from platform to roof, 3 ft. 3 ins.
To facilitate the removal of the commercial body from the chassis liftiug hooks are provided, and these enable the body to be slung up out of the way during the time tbat the vehicle is being used as a towing car.
The particular outfit which we have briefly described was supplied by the Harrison Automobile Co., Ltd., of Bradford, to a local butcher who is using it in the capacity of a travelling shop. Such a vehicle is undoubtedly eminently suitable for similar classes of business, including those of the greengrocer, fishmonger, etc.
Whitehead and Furness, Ltd., claims many special features for its interchangeable bodies, chief amongst these being rigidity under all conditions easy change-over from one type of body to the other, no sacrifice of original strength in the design and a guarantee that the touring body is not in any way disfigured by the adaptation. It is worthy of mention that the company makes a speciality of interchangeable bodies for adaptation to Morris touringcar chassis, and these are available in a variety of types and 'at moderate and attractive prices.