Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10
AUTO SPEED LIMIT

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, September 9.-It is generally
admitted that the limit of speed at which
automobiles can be driven on tracks and
roads has almost been reached, and those
who advocate the racing of motor cars to
bring about their general Improvement
have been figuring on some new plan of
competition. No one denies that racing
does more to improve motor cars than any
thing else for it brings out the weak points
and they are quickly remedied. The posi-
ton which France holds in the motor car
proclivities. Even now the big firms over
there have great chauffeurs on their STATS
who do nothing but drive new models over
the road at high speed.
The racing of bicycles brought better BIZ
cycles; the building of wagons for speed
purposes has brought better road wagons,
and even railroad men admit that the build
ing of high-power locomotives has tended to
in prove those of ordinary type Extremes
in everything bring out weak points, and
this APPLIES to motor ears to a larger de-
gree than anything else.
Now comes 8. d. Weldon, sales manager
OF the Packard Motor Company, with a
sCee eston for 4 speed test of automobiles
which Is certain to receive careful consfd-
Grafton. Having built car which has held
many worlds records, Mr.. Walden's opinion
Is o. more than ordinary Importance. He
believes that the weight limit is not the
stead of allowing makers to build ponder
Gus road locomotives of excessive horse
power they should all be required to build
cars of limited cylinder volume
II have always believed that limited
weight is not the best gauge by which to
match one car against another" said Mr..
Walden. Il believe that weight alone per-
mitted the building of too many freaks. 1t
iS rvoI in fnh ha
blt cup race or the manufacturers chal-
lenge cup to set fixed cylinder volume
and a minimum and a maximum weight,
leaving the maker some leeway as to the
weight Of his car within reasonable limits.
The fastest car under these conditions and
with these qualifications ofcylinder. capac-
ity and weight would really be the more
efficient machine.
at does not make much difference wheth-
err q race Is to be the road or on the
track: so long as the competitors are evenly
matched the interest will be intense. con-
til Ted Mr.. Walden. I'm arranging race
OF this kind have in mind only two fea-
lures which should govern: the dimensions
o. the engine and the weight those dimen-
sicrs have to carry. for we have demon
strated in the Grey Wolf that with cylin-
ders 4x5 we could build a car too fast for
the ordinary mile tracks.
1.-THE placing OF a definite weight gives
es oh motor fixed amount of work to per-
fern and brings into the contest more en-
cheering talent In figuring wind resistance.
friGt:onai losses. tire proportions, ETC., that
will each have a bearing on the results ulti-
mately attained. The weight of the car
should be placed at a point where the man.
ufacturer could use standard motor and
chassis parts so that there would be no In
centive for him to drill everything full Of
holes or to make cylinder castings and mo-
tor forgings lighter. even to the danger
point. in order to gain temporary advan-
tage.
From my experience with track races
a tn lFStr haf he
mersions to be decided upon az the stand
ard should not be greater than Az by SM,
and would be In favor az reducing the d.
mer sions ~ low - by 8.