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Structural panels continued Although referred to as trunk vehicles by

9th August 1974, Page 64
9th August 1974
Page 64
Page 64, 9th August 1974 — Structural panels continued Although referred to as trunk vehicles by
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Millbay, the Boxers rarely undertake delivery runs lasting more than two hours. But to minimize the effects on the product of hot summer sunshine, the roofs — moulded conventionally in grp at Yatton. — are nominally insulated between the roof-bows.

Drawback

Glasonit hot-cured panels are supplied with a smooth and glossy white finish. Before painting, the surface has to be toughened to form a key for the paint — a measure which is unnecessary on Millbay's own cold-cured grp-skinned bodies. Mr M5Iling would like to see the availability of colourimpregnated Glasonit panels but according to TP1 this is not economically practical for "Millbay quantities".

Another drawback with the "solidwall" body is its weight, points out Millbay. A 550FG with 4.2m '(14 ft) body weighs 2,640 kg '(2 tons 12cwt) where alloy/ grp construction is used and 2,730 kg ,(2 tons 131/2 cwt) using Glasonit. Where hgv driving licence qualifications are hard to get, the method of construction could literally tip the scales one way or the other. But for all Spillers' delivery work the benefits outweigh the additional weight, says Mr Melling.

On the Boxer vehicles a single 7.6m (25ft) long body, side panel weighs about 200 kg (4cwt) so that two or three men are needed to manhandle it into position in the body shop. It is usual to attach the cantrail or rave attachment angle as soon as possible, enabling a crane to be used, picking up via predrilled rivet holes. When the shop has been rearranged to accommodate a body production flow-line, it is planned to install an overhead gantry crane to speed and simplify the handling of large and heavy body sections.

'Proprietary aluminium extrusions are used for all the peripheral framing on Millbay's shorter Glasonit bodies. But in the interests of durability and cost, simple galvanized steel angle and strip is being employed for the Framing of the larger bodies on the Boxer chassis. At rave level the slimmer unribbed pressed steel inner and outer angles "enclose" the floor structure horizontally as well as the grp-faced plywood wall vertically. At the same time the slim steel angles give an unobstructed 2.4 m (8 ft) interior within the legal 2.5m (8 tt 2.5 in) width limit, so that Spiller's I .22 m .(4 ft) wide pallets can be accommodated width-wise, to put up the effective capacity of the body from 18 to 22 pallets. A switch to steel framing for the bodies on the shorter FGs is now being contemplated.

Appearance

It has been found possible to attach shoring rails by bolting right through the thickness of the grp/ plywood wall, without the need for additional reinforcement. The domed heads of the coachbolts are visible on the outside surface but this detracts little from the smart overall appearance of the new bodies, which are being painted and sign-written in "Spillers-French Baking", "Wonderloaf" or "Wondercake" livery. When the new bodybuilding facility comes on stream, Millbay plans to offer its range of Glasonitpanelled bodies on the open market.

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