HN 2: The British and their Works

the adherence to manufacturing tolerances. The second phase
called for the elimination of defects, and improvements in the
vehicle and its equipment, without undertaking any design
modifications. In phase three, postponed by the Board of Control
for the time being, the design of a new vehicle was to be put in
train. 173
At the end of 1947, general manager Münch was able to present
a positive balance sheet. The carburettors developed by Solex
had been modified in such a way that a faultless idling and transition
to acceleration were achieved. With the development of a
new felt-element air filter and a deflector inserted in the
cooling-air intake, the serious fouling and over-cooling of the
engine were prevented. This had a positive effect on the service
life of the cylinders, whose quality had been improved by an
alteration to the composition of the alloy used and to the milling
process. When the cylinders and pistons were lengthened,
the Volkswagen ran more quietly. The crankshaft production line
was modified in order to achieve better adherence to tolerances
in manufacture. The loosening of the camshaft wheel was
eliminated by improved riveting. Frequently occurring running
noises from the disc wheel and bevel gear disappeared thanks
to a new device permitting precise adjustment. In the gearbox
the dimensional precision and surface quality of the gears,
running parts and bearings were improved. A new noise monitoring
device was set up to examine the running noise in the
differential and the gearbox. The rattling of the front axle had
disappeared; the steering worked well. The necessary corrections
had been implemented in the fitting of panels, with the
result that doors and lids now closed properly. 174
One important innovation was still at the design stage. At the
beginning of September 1947 Josef Kales began installing a
hydraulic brake produced by the Teves company, which gave rise
to considerable design problems in the re-siting of the handbrake.
175 It seems that these problems were insoluble, as the
Volkswagen had cable brakes up until the fifties. Nonetheless,
since start of production the saloon had undergone a sort of
metamorphosis, which Hirst in retrospect demonstrated, taking
the steering as an example: "We started with a car whose
steering was wobbly. I said, okay, get the wheels balanced, and
they did. Change the steering box, so they did. Change the front
axle, so they did. And we had a different car." 176 ■
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STRIVING FOR QUALITY