Gilford Company Introduces New Rear-drive Double-decker
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A RRANGEMENTS are being made by the afford Motor Co., Ltd., High Wycombe, Bucks, for the proonction of a new passenger chassis for double-deck bodies. This model, which is to be called the Zeus, will be, generally speaking, of orthodox layout and, unlike the Gifford doublesleeker shown at the Olympia Exhibition last year, will have a propeller-shaft transmission and rear-axle drive. Visitors to the Scottish Show, opening at Glasgow next week, will have an opportunity for seeing the Zeus, and of examining the chassis components. The model is listed at i1,045, and has a six-eylindered side-valve engine of 11.0 mm. bore and 130 ram. stroke. This unit develops 60 b.h.p. at 1,000 r.p.m. and no less than 118 b.h.p. at 2,750 r.p.m.
It has a 8-in, seven-bearing crankshaft, detachable cylinder head, water pump, pressure lubrication, automaticadvance magneto ignition, and an arrangement of auxiliaries on the near side to give easy accessibility. The single-plate clutch has a diameter of 16 ins, and incorporates a clutch stop. There is a four-sired gearbox bolted to the engine case and providing indirect forward ratios of
1.6, 2.53 and 4.9 to 1, the reverse ratio being 6.5 to 1. The propeller shaft conveys the drive to an off-set worm ease and thence to fully floating axle shafts. The worm and wheel may easily be -removed after withdrawingthe axle
shafts. The standard axle ratio is 7.25 to 1.
The foot brake operates on the three-servo system, being,therefore, fully compensated ; the two front servo motors are mounted directly on the stub axles, whilst the master senvo operates through mechanical leverage • on the rear wheels. All the brake drums are of 17 ins. diameter, and are speffially strengthened to prevent distortion. Semi-elliptic springs, 3i ins, wide, are fitted. Steering is of the Manes type.
The standard equipment is 30-in. by 8-in, high-pressure tyres, but the clearances are arranged so that, if desired, 9.75-in, by 20-in, low-pressure rear tyres CAD he fitted, the front wheels_then. carrying 10.5-in. by 20-in. tyres.
The wheelbase of the new Zeus model is 16 ft. 3 ins., the front track being 6 ft. 31 ins., and within an overall length. of 26 ft. there is a body space 21 ft. 1-1 in. long. The frame height is 1 ft. 10 ins„ the height of the rear nlatform being 121 ins.