Translucent Roof in Pantechnicon
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A TRANSLUCENT plastics roof has rx been incorporated in a new 1,050
cu-it, van supplied by the Wokingham Pantechnicon, Broad Street, Wokingham, Berks, to Messrs. Bond, Chelms ford. The roof. a product of Fibromold, Ltd., Hanworth Lane, Chertsey, Surrey, is in one piece 20 ft. long, having been
made up of five 4-ft. sections, each of which is reinforced by integral X-shaped channels.
The sides of the body are framed in timber and panelled with Plvmax. The roof has longitudinal flanges and rests on packing on the top cant-rail, to which it is bolted. Adding about an extra £100 to the cost of the body. the plastics roof offers the important advantage of impermeability.
The weight of the roof at l cwt. is about the same as for a plywood and canvas component, but the translucency is a great asset to loaders. The curved sides of the roof are painted to the operators' colour scheme, but ample daylight enters evenly to illuminate the interior. At the front, the corner sections are of moulded rubber, whilst the central dome is of light alloy.
There is 8 ft. of headroom above the I5-ft. 6-in.-long timber floor. At the rear is a well and a selfsupporting tailboard. The Luton extension is 5 ft. 3 in. long and 4 ft. high. An entrance with double doors and a well step is provided at the front on the near side, immediately aft of the bulkhead to the cab, which accommodates a crew of four. Perspex quarter lights are fitted.
Another interesting feature of the vehicle, whiCh is based on an Austin 5-ton petrol-engined chassis and weighs under 3 tons unladen, is a loading scale painted along the off side interior of the body indicating capacity.