The Bay State Chassis

It is the veteran driver of a Bay State car who fully appreciates the correct engineering principles that underlie its design and construction. From headlights to rear springs, every part has been selected with due thought as to its relation with the other parts. This will be best understood by examining the chassis.

The illustrations on this page show the light, yet strong, construction of the frame. The side members, of 7-inch channel, have wide flanges at top and bottom. There is a sturdy cross-tube at the front end, and four cross-members with gussets, all hot riveted, the result being a frame a very lightweight but exceedingly strong and rigid.

The steering gear, which is of irreversible worm and full gear type, with steering arm of heat-treated special steel, can be depended on to never fail at a critical moment. Because of the size of the 18-inch walnut steering-wheel so great is the leverage that only a slight pull is required to make a sharp turn. Due to the position of the steering knuckles, the front wheels always tend to go straight ahead. This makes it easy to drive the Bay State at high speed for many hours.

The universal verdict of all who ride in a Bay State for the first time is, "How comfortable it rides! Especially over rough roads." This is due to the scientific spring suspension, and not to heavy, expensive shock absorbers. The springs are long - 40 inches in front and 58 inches in the rear - and are flat when under normal load. They have great strength as well as flexibility, being made of silico-manganese steal. The spring bolts are unusually large, providing ample bearing surface and will not soon wear loose. The shackles are held tight against the spring-eyes by heavy coiled springs thus eliminating one source of annoying rattles.

As indicative of the thought given to small things in the design of the Bay State chassis, consider the position of the propeller-shaft, with its universal joint at each end. In many cars, the universal joints operate at a more or less acute angle and soon develop backlash and annoying rattles. With the Bay State, this tendency to rattle has been overcome in a very simple way. The engine with its self-contained gear-box is mounted in the frame at an angle so it slopes toward the rear. The weight of the passengers brings the frame down toward the rear axle, giving an approximately straight-line drive from the engine to the differential. The action of the universal joints is reduced to a minimum, hence there is very little wear. You will find that seldom does a Bay State universal joint need replacing.

All Bay state models are capable of great speed - sixty to seventy miles an hour - hence the need of a most efficient braking system. There are two sets of brakes, both on the rear wheels. The brake drums are 16 inches in diameter, and the service brakes, external contracting, have bands 2.5 inches wide, giving a breaking surface of 248 square inches. The emergency breaks are internal expanding and have bands 2.25 inches wide. Either set of brakes will bring the car from high speed to a quick stop, easily and safely.

The one-piece pressed-steel housing makes the rear axle both light and strong. The spiral bevel ring and pinion gears are of heat-treated alloy steel correctly designed and ground to very close dimensions. The differential and pinion-shaft have roller bearings. The rear wheels have ball bearings.

The front axle, I-beam section, is a fine example of correct drop forging and scientific heat treating of alloy steel. An accident may bend it, but no abuse you may give it will cause it to break.

The engine, a six-cylinder Continental Red Seal, has all those characteristics you expect in a high-grade car like the Bay State. As one delighter owner expressed it, "It is as smooth as silk at any speed, and has more power than I dare to use, except on a hill."

The Bay state engine is of L-head type, with a piston displacement of 242 cubic inches, the bore being 3 3/8 inches, and the stroke 4 1/2 inches. Nominally rated at 27.34 horsepower, on brake-test it delivers a 58 at 2600 r.p.m.

The cylinders are cast in a single block and have a detachable head. The crank-case of aluminum, with an under-pan of pressed steal.

The drop-forge steal crankshaft is unusually large, being 2 1/4 inches in diameter. It is held in place with four large bearings, and it is so perfectly balanced that it does not vibrate at any speed.

Forced feed lubrication is used, the crankshaft bearings and connecting-rod bearings being supplied by a gear-driven pump, which varies the amount of oil according to the need of the engine.

The cooling system includes a centrifuge water pump and a large cellular-type radiator, the outer shell of which is nickel-plated sheet copper. A correctly designed Sylphon thermostat with a bypass tube keeps the water in the cylinder jackets at a uniform temperature, thereby improving the efficiency of the engine.

An improved type of Stromberg carburetor is used, and its efficiency is increased by combining the inlet and exhaust manifolds, and using the heat of the exhaust gases to raise the temperature of the fuel so as to obtain the greatest power and economy.

The starting, lighting, and ignition system is Delco - service everywhere.