Laundry Company's Clever Van Conversion
Page 46
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A P ticulaily Us4111 Adaptation of a Standard-type Van for Laundry Purposes, Allowing Maximum Bulk Capacity
TCthose in the laundry business, as to many others, the ratio of bulk capacity to engine power is of much more importance than the familiar weight to power ratio. In some standard vans the bulk-power ratio is less than it should be and, what is, perhaps, of more consequence, less than it could be_ When new vehicles are in prospect the problem of arranging for maximum capacity can be dealt with on satisfactory lines.
That, however, was not precisely the situation with which Mr. H. W. W. Baker, A.M.!. A .E „ A .M.I.C. M .E had to deal. He, in his capacity as transport manager to Advance Laundries, Ltd., controls a fleet of more than 350 vehicles. In that fleet were included a number of Ford 10-12-cwt. vans' of
standard type. The interior dimensions of the bodies were as follow : Width, 4 ft. 6 ins. ; length, 4 ft. 6 ins. : height, 4 ft. ; interior capacity, 101 cubic ft. That was sufficient to accommodate only eight laundry sktps, an absurdly small load for the 24 engines.
Bearing in mind the low market value of second-hand vehicles of this type and that Mr. Baker's arrangements provide for depreciation over 10 years—shortly to be increased to 1.2 years—it becomes clearly apparent that any practical scheme for increasing the load capacity of these vehicles is likely tO be attractive from the economic aspect.
He has found a solution to this 812
problem and the completed vehicle is attractive, as well as being an economical proposition. The interior body dimensions now are as follow :— Width, 5 ft. ; length, 6 ft. 6 ins. ;
height, 5 ft. 8 ins. This gives an interior capacity of nearly 181 cubic ft. —an increase of 80 per cent.
As might be expected, part of the procedure is to convert the vehicle to semi-forward control. The radiator cowling and scuttle of the standard Ford 25-cwt, V-8 van are taken, and a short three-piece bonnet designed to go behind this. The latter is held in place by spring..controlled latches and, when lifted off, the engine is completely accessible.
This part of the modification has been effected without even disturbing the old radiator shell. To accommodate the new frontal arrangement the dumbirons have been shortened, new wings fitted and the old struts from wing to wing cut,off and used as head-lamp brackets.
The steeling gear is carried forward 1. ft., and a V-shaped windscreen 19 ins, deep, as against the former ins,, gives improved visibility. The upper halves of the windscreen are made to open.
There is additional overhang behind the rear axle and to accommodate this, and to allow the chassis to carry a total pay-load of 17 cwt., body bearers of American ash are used and that portion of the frame which is upswept over the rear axle is strengthened by the addition of thin flitch plates. Volute springs are fitted to supplement the stantiard rear springs.
The doors at both sides of the driver's cab slide and a step is fitted to give a low loading line and make it-easy to enter and leave.
The attractive appearance of the new van is shown in an accompanying illustration. The whole of the bodywork, including even the curved wings and the bonnet—everything, in fact, but the scuttle taken from -the 25-cwt. Ford—has been made by the transport department of Advance Laundries, Ltd. The achievement is most creditable, if it be appreciated that the result is the equivalent of a new van at a cost barely exceeding £70.