US chassis cuts costs
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• British coachbuilders are being enticed by an American-built midi chassis, which is about £10,000 cheaper than its UK competitors.
Ballymena-based Robert Wright & Son is one of three manufacturers which have shown interest in the simple steel-sprung chassis, exhibited by Michigan-based Spartan Motors at the Kortrijk fair in Belgium last October ( CM31 Oct6 Nov 1992).
Spartan says it has been talking to Wrights about adapting the two-year-old EC-2000 chassis to make it more compatible for UK bodybuilders.
The £15,000 chassis would compete against Volvo's B6R midi chassis and the Dennis Dart.
Spartan's regional manager David Gruber plans to visit Wrights next month for further talks on the rear-engined chassis, which is powered by a Cummins B Series through an Allison AT 542 automatic box. Leeds-based Optare is also believed to have held discussions with Spartan about the possibility of bodying the 7m to 9,5m chassis.
And Leighton Buzzard-based Chassis Developments, which pulled out of PCV work two years ago, believes the chassis may be suitable for welfare and mobile library work. Of the 1,000 EC-2000s produced last year, 95% were motor homes.
The wide-track suspension system has a 1,04Imm frame width and the steering gear mounted on the axle to give the EC-2000 better than average handling, cornering and stability, says Spartan. On fuel economy the EC-2000 is averaging 28181itilOOkm (10-15mpg).
It is fitted with 15in (38mm) disc brakes on both axles, which Spartan says are easier to maintain than drum brakes, and its 685mm frame height, and 1,500mm front overhang gives the option for a door in front of the steered axle.