NEW BEDFORD MODELS
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for 10-1 2-cwt. and 30-cwt. loads
Comprehensive Range Now Available for Home and Export Markets ; the Chevrolet Goods and Passenger Models Discontinued
AN important announcement is being made this week, through Bedford dealers up and down the country, by General Motors, Ltd., The Hyde, London, N.W.9. The time has arrived when the trade has to say good-bye to its old friend, the Chevrolet. The company's works at Luton, which have been concentrating upon all-British Chevrolet and Bedford models, has delivered its last Chevrolet ,12-cwt. and 30-cwt.' chassis and is replacing these with a Bedford light delivery 10-12-cwt. and a Bedford 30-cwt. chassis.
It is interesting to note the reasons governing the company's programme.'" When General • Motors, Ltd., was: granted the right otbuilding Chevrolet chassis in this country, it was not permitted to export them. A little later the company produced the Bedford 2-tonner and, as this attained instantaneous suc cess overseas, as well as at home, 80-cwt. and 10-12-cwt. Bedfords were produced for 'export, side by side with the Chevrolet 30-evit: and 12-cwt. -models that were being manufactured for sale here. Ob4
B24 viously, it has not been economical to manufacture two makes of equal capacities so it has been decided to replace the Chevrolet in this market with Bedford machines and to get the benefit of full-scale production.
There is, in this decision, an advantage to dealers, in that they will be, handling a product British born as well as British made, for although the Chevrolet was entirely British, some sales resistance was met because, in the earlier days, it had been an American product.
One important point to be borne in mind throughout the haulage industry is that the servicing of Chevrolet lorries will continue to be just as good as ever it has been. .
The Bedford 30-cwt. machine will not depart radically from Chevrolet design. The Bedford 10-12-cwt. light delivery model, however, will have the smaller Vauxhall engine of 16.9 h.p., instead of the larger 26.9 h.p. Chevrolet engine. This will no doubt help sales, because the Chevrolet 12-cwt. van was, if anything, overpowered. The price will be £7 cheaper and will include a chromium-plated radiator.
An important improvement affecting the 30-cwt. and 2-ton models will be the provision of a spare wheel and tyre as standard equipment. This virtually amounts to a price reduction.
Dealing with the new models in closer detail, let us first consider the light delivery van. The chassis price will be £135 and the van £168. The engine will be the overheadvalve six-cylinder type of 16.9 h.p., It.A.C. rating, having four crankshaft bearings, as against the three bearings of the Chevrolet engine.
The 26.3 h.p. Bedford engine is available as an optional irodel at no
extra charge, but will not be catalogued. There is pressure lubrication throughout, whereas the Chevrolet had a system of combined splash and pressure lubrication. In place of the helical-gear auxiliary drive, the new model will have a duplex roller chain. The cylinder bores are lubricated by an oil jet from drilled connecting-rod big-ends.
There is a gear-type oil pump, also an external oil filter, and the filler is in the rocker cover, instead of on the crankcase side. A large-area gauze filter in the sump replaces the small bowl filter of the Chevrolet. There is a 9-in, clutch, whilst the gearbox is similar to that on the Chevrolet, although differently supported. The gear ratios are 5.11, 8.7 and 17.48 to 1 forward and 14.56 to 1 reverse ; it will be remembered that the Chevrolet had a 3.9 to 1 top gear.
An exposed propeller shaft of Hardy-Spicer type, with enclosed
universal joints at the ends, takes the place of the enclosed drive of the Chevrolet. The rear axle is of the semi-floating type and the brakes, both front and rear, are operated by cables instead of rods. The steering gear is the same as on the Bedford 2-tonner and is stronger and lighter in operation than the Chevrolet gear, the ratio being 15 to 1, as against 91 to 1.‘
In place of the Delco-Remy 6-volt system, the Bedford has a Lucas 12volt outfit with an Exide 72 amp.hour battery. The wheelbase is 8 ft. 101 ins, and the track 4 ft. 81 ins.; 19-in. by 5.00-in. tyres are fitted, including the spare tyre and tube. The new Bedford 30-cwt. model will, in many respects, resemble the now familiar 2-tonner, and will embody several improvements over the Chevrolet, these being on the same lines as mentioned above in connection with the 10-12-cwt. light delivery machine. It will have a topgear ratio of 4.875 to 1, as on the Chevrolet, and will embody a fourspeed gearbox identical with that now fitted to the Bedford 2-tonner.
The front axle, steering knuckles and brakes are identical with those on the 2-tonner, the steering knuckles being about half as strong again as on the Chevrolet, with considerably greater king-pin bearing area. This model will have a Lucas 6-volt electrical outfit with Lucas starter, coil ignition and an Exide 100-amp.-hour battery, The radiator has been designed to produce a more substantial and imposing appearance than on the Chevrolet. As regards the front springing, the design is similar to that of the Chevrolet, but the springs are considerably sturdier.
The chassis price is £175, or, with cab, £200. The model is available as a drop-side lorry at £210, as a Luton van at £225, or as a rural bus at £295. There is a wide selection of other bodywork, including a handoperated end-tipping type at £226. An important feature is that the rear axle has semi-floating shafts, as against the full-floating shafts on the 2-tonner, and the standard tyre equipment is 32 ins. by 6.00 ins. front and 32 ins. by 6 ins, highpressure rear. The wheelbase is 10 ft. 11 ins, and the track 4 ft. 9 ins.
It may be noted that the Bedford 2-tonner is available with wheelbase measurements of either 10 ft. 11 ins. or 13 ft. 1 in., and is priced at respectively £198 and £210 (chassis). It incorporates recent improvements, including a heavy-duty gearbox, a 12-gallon fuel tank, a fixed starting handle and a larger 100 amp.-hour battery, not to mention, of course, the inclusion now of a spare tyre and tube. The standard equipment for this model is 32-in. by 6.00-in. tyres, with twin tyres on the rear wheels. There has been a price alteration in respect of the drop-side lorry incorporating the short chassis from £240 to p236.
It would appear that the new Bedford 30-cwt. machine will be admirable for fleet owners, such as retailing houses, etc., who require a fairly large body and whose loads range from 1 ton to 11. ton. The advantage they gain is that the vehicle is a little cheaper to purchase and to run than the 2-tonner. Haulage contractors may prefer the 2-tonner.