A LUXURY HOME ON A COACH CHASSIS
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APART from its ordinary spheres of employment, the commercial chassis is sometimes turned to account for unusual purposes, but on no occasion do we remember such a type forming the basis of a more unique and attractive vehicle than that which we recently inspected at the works of Thos. Harrington, Ltd., Old Shoreham Road, Hove, the concern responsible for the design, construction and equipment of the handsome body, many of the cardinal features of which are protected. No more apt description of it than that of "land cruiser" could surely be found, especially when it is mentioned that it has been built to enable its owner to be entirely independent of hotel
facilities. ,
The vehicle has been designed according to the requirements or Capt. and Mrs. Macmullen, South Godstone, Surrey, and is to be used for shooting, fishing and kindred sporting expeditions, as well as for general travel. It is completely self-contained and the coachbuilder's craft has enabled the best possible use to be made of the available space, but more than this, the layout has been so admirably conceived and executed that there is no suggestion of makeshift or cramming, all the fittings and the equipment creating, in their orderly arrangement, the impression that they are important essentials of the tout-ensemble.
Lavish Character of the Equipment.
The vehicle is a most luxurious outfit and every possible comfort and necessity of the owners has received its meed of attention. It is, naturally, a costly product by reason of the lavish nature of the equipment and the general refinement of finish. Apropos this fact one can mention, en passant, that the walnut used for certain interior work is over 20 years' old, having been held in stock for this period by Thos. Harrington, Ltd.
The chassis is an A.E.C. Regal 120 b.h.p. six-cylinder model, as normally used for coach duty, but the frame has been specially Bitched up and heavy-type springs are used, as well as a fully floating rear axle.
Fundamentally, the body is divided into two distinct sections, each being subdivided. At the rear is the kitchen, above which is a sleeping berth for the B32 steward, and at the front is a spacious lounge, above it being a well-planned and commodious sleeping berth for two people.
The lounge, perhaps, is the most important of four unusually interesting compartments, and embodies a number of highly attractive fittings. Across the main bulkhead is a cocktail cabinet, fitted out with spring clips, etc., to carry various bottles and glasses. On the.. left of this cabinet is a carefully designed writing bureau, behind which is a comfortable swivelling armchair.
There are two full-size divan settees, that on the off side being a permanent fixture, having drawers underneath, whilst that on the near side is capable of being folded up against the side of the body in such a way as to form a series of shelves when the settee is not required.
Features of the Lounge.
There are two collapsable tables of good size in the lounge, and each is built up on tubular, telescopic fittings which contract when the table is lowered, and the floor traps are folded on top of them so that they are not in any way liable to damage. The tables have detachable leaves, which are made to fit into the tubular frames, and when both are in use A dining table for seven or eight people is available, although, of course, the tables can be used individually for other purposes.
The walnut headboard of the front bulkhead is of unique design, and incorporates a barometer, thermometer and eight-day clock in a unit The headboard has mirrors of futurist design at each side. The mirrors on the left have been incorporated in the lid of a locker that is provided over the near side of the canopy.
The heating in this saloon is looked after hy two copper radiators, the water from the radiator being bypassed through them.
Over the near-side wheel-arch a toilet cabinet is built in, with rounded, polished walnut-veneered doors, the equipment including a white porcelain basin, frameless mirrors, chromium-plated fittings, etc. Opposite this cabinet, i.e., under the stairway leading to the upper deck, is a similarly shaped locker. This is fitted out with gun racks (there being provision for six guns), lockers for ammunition, and shelves. These corner cabinets add materially to the general furnishing style of the saloon.
Silk blinds, in leather-covered containers, are fitted to all windows, the blinds being raised from the waistrail instead of being pulled down from the top of the window, as is usually the case; in this way the handsome interior woodwork is not hidden when the blinds are out of use.
The staircase leading to the two-berth sleeping compartment is over the off-side wheel-arch ; it has a walnut hand-rail and carved walnut banisters, and the Sorb° treads have been specially moulded. Green bottle-glass windows give light to the half-way landing of the stairway. There are various leaded lights of special design. The main windows have 'full-drop, balanced fittings.
Excellent Equipment of the Forward Sleeping Compartment.
The equipment of the main sleeping compartment is also excellent. There are two berths, one on each side, and both are positioned well forward. The frames of these berths are of black walnut, the ends being of futurist design and quartered with walnut veneer. Specially made Vi-spring mattresses are used and below them are drawers at the floor level, these being for the storage of linen, etc.
A fully equipped double wardrobe is provided facing the staircase, each door having a mirror on the inside. The backs of the wardrobe have detachable panels to enable the inside of the windows to be cleaned. The interior is equipped with electric lighting, the switch operating with the doors, this also being the case with the cabinets enclosing the wash-basins.
There is a dressing chest with large drawers, as well as a dressing table of unique design and having frameless mirrors and hinged wings.
A porcelain wash-basin is also provided in this section, but it does not obtrude in any way, being enclosed in a polished walnut cabinet ; above it is a frameless glass mirror with an electric light fitting, this being mounted on the polished panelled partition which forms the staircase well.
Both the lower and upper-saloon roofs are lined with Sphinx unfadeable silk, the seams being covered with shaped mouldings of polished walnut.
The interior lighting of the lounge is provided by specially designed lamps carried on the pillars, which have mirrored back mountings and silver-oxidized fittings, with cream Pastelite bell shades. There are also semi-flush-fitting roof panels. The lighting in the forward sleeping compartment is carried out on similar lines, there being independent switches for each light.
From the lower saloon there is a door in the partition which divides the body into two—this is 11 in. thick and insulated with Alfol so as to render the front compartments soundproof—and leads to the kitchen. In this door is a service hatch.
Some Good Ideas Embodied in the Layotzt of the Kitchen.
The kitchen is equipped with a three-jet oil range, below which is storage for cooking utensils, whilst at the side of the range is a deep sink having a hinged draining board, which covers the sink when it is not in use. The water supply is pumped from a main tank of 45 gallons capacity (which is mounted on the near side of the chassis frame) by a semi-rotary pump— located on the partition by the side of the sink—into a gravity tank of 12 gallons capacity. This is in the upper saloon on the back of the partition, the tank being insulated with Alfol to maintain a cool supply.
A tell-tale overflow jet is fitted in the side of the sink, and when the gravity tank is full this jet makes the fact known to the person operating the pump. Two waste-water tanks, one mounted on each side of the chassis frame at the rear, are used, each having a
B34
turncock and a coupling to which hose can be attached for draining.
All the china-ware in the kitchen is stored in a wellconstructed cupboard, the doors having pockets in which certain crockery-ware can be accommodated. The china on the shelves is held secure by stout spiral springs, fixed at the top and carrying a broad base plate at the bottom. Over the off-side wheel-arch in the kitchen a platform is built, and a chromium-plated ladder, with rubbercovered rungs, is bolted upright to the insulated partition, this serving to give access to the sleeping compartment for the steward, the equipment of which includes a Vi-spring mattress, a wardrobe and a dressing chest. The lighting in this compartment is by flush-fitting roof lights.
An emergency exit is provided in the back panel of this compartment. This exit comprises a door hinged along the top edge, and it can be pushed out at the floor level.
In view of the service for which the vehicle is intended, special provision has been made for carrying full-length fishing rods. There is a locker at the uppersaloon floor level which will accommodate rods to the length of 14 ft., and access to it is by chromium-plated flush-fitting steps in the rear panel leading to the locker lid in the near-side hind corner. The electric light in the interior operates when the locker door is opened.
The overall length of the land cruiser is 26 ft., its overall height being 14 ft., whilst the width is 7 ft. 6 ins.; the overhang is 6 ft. 2 ins. Its total weight is 7 tons 8 cwt. The body proper is 21 ft. 51 ins. long.
The symmetry and balance of the body are extremely good, from whatever angle it is viewed. Although the chassis is a forward-control model, there is no suggestion of top-heaviness, especially as the front of the upper saloon is well raked behind the verandah above the driver's cab. The door leading to this enclosure has, because of its slope, been well protected against weather conditions, and channelling is used both inside and outside to take away rain water. Seats backing on to the front bulkhead are provided on the verandah.
The driver's cab is built on private-car lines and all its fittings are chromium plated.