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Interest in Brussels Show Declines
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IN the past, the organizers of the Brussels Salon have taken pride in the keen demand for stand space, which has required the Exhibition to be made progressively larger. Although competition in the Belgian market has not waned, following increased imports of German and French commercial vehicles, interest in the Show has declined, and only 52 manufacturers of goods and passenger chassis will be represented this. year, against 64 in 1952.
Manufacturers and distributors who aze not participating in the Show, which opens to-morrow and closes on January 28, told "The Commercial Motor" that they considered it too expensive to exhibit every year at the Brussels Salon, and that the period between shows was insufficient for the development or production of new models. In general, it is the heavy
vehicle makers, and their distributors, who have withdrawn from the Salon, but there are also absentees in the light-van class. In this field, the lowpriced German and French makes have, it is understood, undermined the market.
Although over a dozen. manufacturers from Britain, Germany, France, Sweden. America and Austria have, through their 'distributors. declined to take stand space.
they have collaborated to display their products in showrooms in Brussels while the Show is open. Most of the buses, coaches and lorries used in Belgium are imported; and operators visit the Show every year. Those concerned with commercial vehicles have been told where to find the external displays in the city.
Last year 15 British manufacturers participated in the Show, but only 11 will be represented on this oceasion. Although such heavy models as A.E.C., Atkinson, Leyland and Maudstay are not in the main exhibition, but are displayed by distributors in show
rooms, the British heavy-vehicle industry will be represented at the Salon by Albion and Thornycroft chaisis.
Among these will be an Albion I11/53L 16-ft.-wheelbase four-wheeler, with a six-cylindered 9.9-litre oil engine and five-speed gearbox. A left-handdrive version is to be shown.
The Albion is a straightforward model, with constant-mesh gears for all forward ratios, heavy-duty overheadworm final drive and compressed-air braking system. With forward control, space is available for a. 20-ft. body.
Three other Albion chassis with left
hand drive and using Jour-cylindered 4.88-litre 75 b.h.p. oil engines and five-speed constant-mesh gearboxes will appear alongside the heavier,' model. These are of the FT. range, which is
known for economy. During a recent road test -Made by "The Commercial Motor" on the Chieftain FT. model with full load, a fuel-consumption rate of 20 m.p.g. was returned, which corresponds to 14.1 litres per 100 kiloms.
One Chieftain chassis will be a normal-control model with full-width cab and tipping body. There will also be a forward-control Chieftain modified to enable the cab entrance to be placed ahead of the front axle. The wheelbase is shortened to 3.95 m. (approximately 13 ft.), and the chassis is arranged for a 6-m.-long (19-ft. 6-in.) platform body. This exhibit is to have a locally built cab with recessed head and side lamps.
The Victor coach, with 40-seat body made by. Gerard Ampe, of Brussels, Was an attractive exhibit at the 1952 Salon, and a similar model is to be staged this year.
Other exhibits on the Albion stand will include a' 75 .b.h.p. oil engine coupled to a five-speed gearbox, and an Albion-Albatross marine unit, which has a similar engine. The distributor for A",ion vehicles in Belgium and
Holland is Albatross Automobiles N.V., 21-27. Pietre Baststraat, Amsterdam.
An addition to the Austin models previously shown, at Brussels will be a civilian version of the 14on fourwheel-drive chassis which, when tested on the military proving ground at Farnborough, overcame all obstacles when carrying a 3-ton load. Basically, the chassis is derived from the standard 2-tonner, but to improve performance it is provided with a 4-litre engine having a compression ratio of 6.8 to 1, to give an output of 90 b.h.p.
and 190 lb.-ft. torque. This vehicle has a six-cylindered overhead-valve petrol engine similar to that of the Austin 2-ton and 5-ton chassis, but a transfer box is interposed in the transmission to drive the front axle.
Apart from this exhibit, all others on the Austin stand will have left-hand drive. They will include two versions of the A.40 and A.70 models, and a 25-cwt. forward-control van. A standard 2-ton long-wheelbase chassis will be exhibited with a drop-sided all-steel body and shortand long-wheelbase 5-tonners will be shown as chassis with cabs. The Austin distributor in Brussels is R. E. Higgins, Sogida, 87, Rue du Page, Brussels.
The A.40, of 10-cwt. payload capacity, to be shown as a van and in Countryman form, has a swaged roof to prevent drumming, and there is a combined extraction and induction ventilator in the roof. Pick-up and Countryman bodies will also be fitted to the A.70 15-cwt. models.
A representative selection of Bedford vehicles will appear on the stands occupied by General Motors Continental. Noordelaan, Anvers, Which will also show models of American design. The British products range from the new 10-cwt. van, which should compete effectively with the low-priced French and German exhibits, to 7-tonneis weighing tinder 3 tons complete with bodies. • The 10-cwt. semi-forward-control van has many features, in addition to low price and economy, equal to those of its Continental contemporaries. It has a "square "-bore-stroke-ratio engine to provide good performance with reduced wear, and a 33-ft. turhing circle. The all-metal body has 135 cubic ft. of load space and sliding doors to the cab. All the controls are placed to reduce delay when making local deliveries.
The Routes group will be exhibiting through its coneessionnaire, Rootes (Belgique) S.A., 47, Cantersteen, Brussels, a comprehensive display of Commer and Karrier Vehicles on four stands. Few sectioned models of lorry or bus chassis are seen at any of the exhibitions other than the Earls Court Commercial Motor Show, and the cut-away Commer 7-ton chassis should be of outstanding interest. . In the lighter class will be a Commer 8-cwt. van, which has steering-column gear change and independent front sus pension, and a medium-duty pick-up and li-ton Superpoise, both of which have four-cylindered 50 b.h.p. petrol engine,s and normal-control cabs.
The pick-up, which has a payload capacity of 1 short ton (900 kilogs.), is equipped with an all-steel body having fixed sides and drop tailboard, the sides being flared out to form a tubular section along the top to promote strength and rigidity.
• Four 5-tonners and 7-tonners to be shown will all have Eatain two-speed axles. The 5-tonners are Superpoise 'models, having normal control and a bench seat, the cab assembly being carried on a special mounting which relieves the cab, wings, bonnet and
radiator from all distortion. Longand short-wheelbase version will be shown suitable for a 16-ft. body on the 12-ft. 11-in, wheelbase, or a tipping body on the shorter chassis.
The 7-tanners, with underfloor petrol engines and full-forward control, will also be displayed in chassis and cab form. These will comprise a 13-ft.
.6-in.-wheelbase model for an 18-ft. body, and a 9-ft. 7-in.-wheelbase chassis for mounting a tipping body.
In addition to the Commers, there will also be a Karrier Bantam tractor with 7-type coupling gear, and a Bantam 2-toll chassis and cab to represent the range. Alterations to these models since they were last shown at Brussels include an ail-metal cab with adjustable quarter-vents in the doors and glazed rear corner panels.
Kew-built Fargo and De Soto chassis are to be exhibited by S.A. Chrysler, 50, Rue de Naples, Brussels, whilst the Dodge will appear on stands occupied by Ets. Brondeel S.A., 94, Rue Joseph II. One of the Dodge 6-ton petrol-engined chassis will appear with tanks and equipment for emptying and flushing sewers and street sprinkling.
The Dodge is a popular chassis for this type of work in Holland and Belgium, the vehicle to be shown, built for I lasselt Borough Council, having a twospeed rear axle. A 5-tonner with the Perkins P.6 oil engine will be exhibited ;is a chassis and cab.
In addition to the vehicles displayed by the manufacturers or distributors, many British chassis with special bodies will be exhibited on other stands. A Dodge 6-ton petrol-engined chassis with an E.F.A. tipping body is to be included in the Adriaenssens display.
A standard De Soto 5-ton petrolengined chassis has been modified to full-forward control for use as a fireengine, the space gained by the modification providing more room for equipment and a pump to be mounted amidships. The cab is extended to include the crew compartment and connections and controls for the pump are recessed in the side of the body.
Another De Soto exhibit will be a 5-ton oil-engined chassis and cab with Iwo-speed axle. A similar model, also of 13-ft. 9-in, wheelbase, is to be shown by SA. Chrysler on the Fargo stand. A Fargo 6-ton petrohengined chassis will also be seen with a tipping body.
According to the Ford Motor Co., Henry Foordlaan, Anvers, only three Dagenham-built models will be displayed on the Ford stand at Brussels. These comprise the 5-cwt. and 10-cwt. standard vans and a Thames 5-tonner of 13-ft. 1-in, wheelbase, equipped with a Totally-built lorry body.
Represented in Belgium by Ets, P. Dccrose S.A., 96, Rue du Sceptre, Brussels, the Nuffield Organization has arranged a full display of Morris vans and Morris-Commercial models from 10 cwt. to 5 tons. The Morris exhibits will include three versions of the Cowley 10-cwt, model.
The Morris-Commercial 7-type 10cwt, van has full-forward control and with sliding doors to the cab it is popular for local delivery. For its size, there is unusual payload space totalling 150 cubic ft.
The LC4 30-cwt. chassis will appear at Brussels for the first time. It is a
10-ft. 1-in, wheelbase normal-control model which weighs 1.1 tons. unladen. A modern appearance is prcivided by the recessed lamps and three-seat cab with enclosed step wells, and its economy is assured by a 2-litre fourcylindered overhead-valve petrol engine. Examples of both the Tongand short-wheelbase forward-control models will be shown with tipping and drop-sided bodies. Normal-control 3-tormers and 5-tanners will also be displayed
It was announced at he 1952 Brussels Salon that the Belgian Governrnent had ordered 5,000 Land-Rovers, the first of which were to be sent from the Coventry factory and the rest partmanufactured in the old Minerva works in Belgium. Although no complete vehicle is to be displayed this year, a chassis will be shown by Fillet.
Thorn yet-oft will have the largest British exhibit, a Trusty six-wheeler with a double-drive bogie. This is a forward control right hand drive chassis employing the Thornycroft 7.88-litre oil engine which develops 100 b.h.p. at 1,750 r.p.m., its governed speed. The Trusty six-wheeler is rated for a maximum gross laden weight of 20,320 kilogs. (20 tons).
Materiel Industrie! Automobile, 1072, .Casernes d'Etterbeek, Brussels, the distributor of Thornycroft chassis in Belgium, will also be showing a Sturdy Star and a Trident chassis, both having forward control and 13-ft. 6-in: wheelbase. The Sturdy Star, which has six-cylindered 4.18-litre oil engine developing 61.5 b.h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m., is built for a gross laden weight of 8,382 kilogs. (81 tons).
The Standard estate ear, which has a payload capacity of 5-cwt., will be shown by Imperia S A. Nessonvauxlez-Li6ge. This model, which compares favourably with its American contemporaries, has a fold-down rear squab which affords a maximum floor space 4 ft. 41 ins, long and 5 ft. wide.