A COLOSSAL NEW GARAGE.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 February 1918, Page 5

A COLOSSAL NEW GARAGE.

lES. EDLIN Aim. ETEVENEAUS?

The latest addition to the leading business premises of Taihape is the immense motor garage erected in brick to the order of Messrs. Edlin and Etevencaux. This progressive firm took over the old Ford Motor Garage, but before very long they found their premises altogether too small, and as there urns no room to extend they had to seek a larger area of land. The business, buildings and land occupied by Mr. Alf. Fox, coachbuilder, was purchased right out, the section cleared and the new garage commenced with no loss of time. A contract was let to Mr. W. Cruiekshank, and in a surprising short time Messrs. Edlin and Etevencaux were able to take possession. The plans were drawn and the building was designed by Mr. Etevencaux himself, who is an engineer and mechanical draftsman of no mean order. The most important provision in the specifications was for

a roof that would bear the strain of half-a-dozen motor cars being suspend-

ed so that, a correct computation of strains was of major consideration in the designing of the building. The inside length of the New Ford Garage is 130 feet and the width is 55 feet. The roof is one im-

mense span leaving the floor free of

all obstruction. Sixty motor cars can be housed or 40 cars can be run in without special packing. The walls are of massive brick work; the floor is concrete and finished beautifully smooth with cement, making the building absolutely proof against fire. The front of the building is rough stuccoed, with the Ford device,. bearing the word “Ford,” together with' all other facings and embellishments, in smooth finished work, the whole being

most artistically executed. Inside the capacious building offices and show-

rooms occupy the right side; ladies’

waiting rooms, lavatories and all conveniences are on the left of the en-

trance. At the rear of the garage are the engineering shops, vulcanising rooms, and store rooms. The workshops

are equipped with the most up-to-date machinery and appliances, so complete that a motor ear could be built there-

in. Various lathes,- drilling and screwing machines; welding furnaces, anvils, vices beside a quantity of finer and more delicate appliances have their places in the engineering department or in the tool cupboards. In the are three large cemented oblong pits, over which six cars can be rum so that workmen can readily get at all under parts of each car, giving the utmost possible facility for quick repairs. There is no floundering about, crawling under cars; they are run over these pits and workmen walk about under them. These facilities mean the saving of a great deal of money to motor owners as their repairs can be effected in half the time. In the storerooms are sufficient parts to built up a complete car, engine and everything included. There is a large stock of tyres and tubes of all the most popular makes, spare rims, tool kits, rubber sheet for repairs and the thousand and one things required in motoring One of the most interesting processes is the vulcanising by which a patch of rubber soon changes from the patch condition, becoming an integral part of the rubber tube it is to strengthen The motorist who w r ould trust to a stuck-on patch when he can have a piece made a part of the tyre itself is very shortsighted indeed. The mechanical department is in charge of Mr. Edlin, a motor engineer with an unsurpassed experience. The knowledge and experience of the proprietors of the Ford Garage is amply reflect in the garage and engineering shops they have had erected, and they wil, without doubt, receive that patronage which the conveniences they have furnished richly deserve.