Strip chassis is Snow's approach
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This South West firm is caring for a growing market in Britain for rebuilt vehicles; it first realigns the chassis and checks for mounting-bolt distortion. By Phil Reed
IN In the USA, vehicle reconditioning is big business, with many truck manufacturers supplying "glider" kits. These new chassis and axles are supplied without running gear — allowing the operator to transfer units from existing trucks — or fit reconditioned parts to suit. So, with a glider, at relatively low cost, the operator can obtain a "new" vehicle.
Here, however, maybe as a result of the long period of rationing after the war, reconditioned vehicles are not considered in such a favourable light. Most operators prefer to operate younger trucks, with the vast majority of transport companies aiming to buy new vehicles from the word go. Caring for a small but growing market in the UK for rebuilt vehicles is Snow's Commercials of Compton Greenfield, near Bristol. Here, this company concentrates the bulk of its efforts for vehicle salvage, with several acres devoted to breaking relatively modern vehicles for individual units and components.
A recently completed £250,000 investment has seen Snow's Commercials with new 360m2 (3,500ft2) facilities primarily devoted to vehicle rebuilding. "We like to do things properly here," comments Percy Snow. "Currently we recondition some 20 vehicles a year which will rise to 30 per annum with our new premises," Provided the base stock for a Snow reconditioned truck are late registered, accident or fire-damaged insurance write-offs, Percy Snow does not reckon it is worth rebuilding anything over four years old, as older vehicles cannot stand the labour costs involved in a full refurbishment.