Fiat is sending seven vehicles to Earls Court
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Aannounced in COMMERCIAL MOTOR of July 22, Fiat of Italy is to exhibit heavy commercial vehicles for the first time at the forthcoming Earls Court Show. From the full details now available of models which will appear there it is obvious that Fiat is making a considerable effort to show British operators what it can offer. There will be four examples of the wide Fiat range inside Earls Court and three more vehicles in the demonstration park.
Three of the four on the stand will be tractive units, whilst the fourth will be a maximum-capacity two-axle rigid. All will be shown in chassis/cab form with righthand drive. Largest of the four is the Fiat 693T, a six-wheeled tractive unit with a Fiat double-drive rear bogie. The model is designed for a gross train weight of 38 tons and power is supplied by a Fiat six-cylinder, direct-injection diesel of 12.883 litre capacity producing 208 b.h.p. net at 1,900 r.p.m. Transmission is through an all-synchromesh, four-speed main gearbox plus an electropneumatically operated two-speed auxiliary box. The chassis has four independent braking systems, including an exhaust brake, and power steering is standard.
Similar in many details but having two axles instead of three will be the Fiat 682T3 which is designed for 32 tons gross train weight. In this case the engine is an 11.548litre unit and maximum net output is 180 b.h.p. Power steering is an option but, like the 693T, the model has an eight-speed transmission. A second two-axle tractive unit will be the Fiat 643T which is designed for 26 tons g.t.w. and has a 9.161-litre engine giving 161 b.h.p. net. A five-speed gearbox with synchromesh on the upper four ratios is fitted and there is a two-speed auxiliary box as in the two large vehicles and controlled in the same way. Completing the display on the Fiat stand will be a rigid version of the 643T, the 643EP. The EP indicates heavy-duty export version and the specification is identical to that of the 643T except that the wheelbase is 18 ft. 4.5 in.
All three vehicles that Fiat intend to have on the demonstration park will be rigid models and two of them—the 693N and 682N3 will be versions of the tractive units inside Earls Court. The third vehicle will be a 650E which represents a different sector of Fiat's commercial vehicle production. This is powered by a 4.678-litre diesel producing 101 b.h.p. net and the model is designed for use with a trailer at 23 tons gross.