ROOMIER CAR BODIES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 160, 22 June 1935, Page 13

ROOMIER CAR BODIES

Their Effect Upon Design LOCATION OF THE MOTOR For the past two or throe years the motoring public has been demanding more body space on cars of all types. Naturally this has its effect upon design, for manufacturers must find some means of giving the public what it asks, if they are to be successful in the highly competitive business of producing and selling ears. Ono of the expedients which has been adopted to give increased body space is tho moving forward of tho radiator and power unit, by which means the length of the space available on the chassis for coachwork may be increased by as much as Siu. on a medium sized car. There Is, however, a limit to the extent, to which tlio power unit may be moved forward, as if the conventional typo of front axle and steering be employed it is necessary to have clearance between the axle beam and steering track rod and the engine sump. If a system of independent suspension be employed for the front wheels, however, then this restriction on account of clearance does not arise, and the limit of forward mounting may be settled "by the question of appearance. In these days appearance plays a large part in the popularity of a particular model, and while it is possible for one’s ideas of wliat constitutes an attractive appearance to change, there is no doubt that such changes are slow, so that ear fashions evolve slowly. In fact, designers to-day have not only to deal with technical problems, but they have also to consider the psychology of car purchasers. To the normal individual a car of orthodox appearance is usually acceptable, for the simple reason that the eye is accustomed to seeing such shapes, and, at the same time, a car of unorthodox appearance is generally unacceptable until the eye becomes accustomed to the unusual shape.

What, then, it may be asked, is the car of the future likely to become? He would bo a bold prophet who would attempt to answer tnis by giving a definition, but it is possible to explore some of the lines of development which may be followed. For example, on some commercial vehicles tho power unit has been pushed much farther forward than is the practice on private cars, and particularly is this so with some Continental commercial chassis, where the entire engine and bonnet project beyond tho front wheels. A somewhat similar arrangement has been used on one or tn- car chassis, except that tho engine is projected behind tho rear axle, instead of forward of the front axle. Another development in tho commercial vehicle field is the mounting of the eugino on the outside of the off-side main frame member about midway between the front and rear wheels, and while this engine position would hardly be suitable for car chassis it does make one wonder if some unorthodox position for the power unit may not offer distinct advantages. On the commerical vehicle in question the mounting of the engine at the side allows the transmission also to be placed to one side, so that an unrestriettod floor space is given.

Now this attribute is also highly desirable for the private car, fo r the tunnel which it is necessary to provide for tho propeller-shaft in so many cars is definitely an obstruction which we should bo better without. This, of course, is one of the advantages of tho rear engine position, or of tho forward engine position, provided that front wheel drive be utilised.

If, therefore, the designer is prepared to locate engine and transmission at one end or other in the interests of increased body space, what can he do to mitigate tho disadvantages, such as the overhang and the effect on weight distribution! Obviously the engine might be placed across the frame instead of parallel to it, although this might entail shortening the overall length of the engine, possibly by adopting a V arrangement of the cylinders, as is now the tendency for cars of orthodox design, while the frame itself, and even the wheel track, might have to be made wider to accommodate the engine. It is, in fact, quite possible that the future will see the adoption of rather wider tracks, for oveu large cars with a track of about 4ft. 9in. are somewhat restricted in seating capacity owing to the rear wheel arches. To increase rear seat width it is necssary to move the rear seat forward of the wheel arches, or to increase the track, so giving a greater distance between the wheel arches.