NEW TYPE FABRIC BODY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 639, 16 April 1929, Page 6

NEW TYPE FABRIC BODY

WITH RUBBER LINING LIGHT AND EXCEPTIONALLY RIGID One of the features in modern bodywork construction is tile effort that is being made to reduce weight and to provide a structure that will withstand hard usage without being subject to irritating rattles, squeaks, and drumming'. This has been achieved in several ways, and the accompanying illustration depicts a new method of constructing a flexible fabric bodywork which has been patented by an English Arm of coachbuilders. The foundation of the quarters, panels, doers, roof and scuttle consists of steel strips interlaced and held in position by means of clips, while in other portions of the body for example, in the rear quarters—they are held in position by means of webbing through which stitches are passed . Over this foundation comes a layer of waterproofed canvas, then a rubber lining, and, finally, the exterior leather fabric. The rubber lining acts as an insulator, keeping the interior warm in winter and cool In summer, while, in addition, it facilitates moulding and maintaining the curves in their proper shaps. Perhaps, however, the most outstanding feature is the strength of the construction, for the panels will withstand a very heavy impact and with the added advantage over metal panels that no mark Is left. This, of course, is due to the fact that the steel strips and rubber used give the construction a very considerable degree of resiliency. On the score of weight there is a saving of nearly 3cwt on a large body.