New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-07
AUTO NEWS OF THE DAY
Testing Laboratory Likely To
Be Given Up by A. C. A.
is FINEST IN THE WORLD
Great Dynamometer Apparatus
May Become Property Of
s. A. E. in Detroit.

Unless there is a decided change OF opin-
Ion among the members Of the executive
committee Of the Automobile Club Of
America New York will shortly lose the
finest dynamometer engine testing labor
atory I'm the world This laboratory, oc-
cupying part of the thirteenth floor In
the huge building in West 54th street, en-
tails too much expense. il is alleged, and
on March IL will be discontinued unless
some arrangement can be made whereby
it will become more nearly or actually
self-supporting.
The laboratory was installed some years
ago under more liberal regime than ex-
ISIS to-day. Each part Of the apparatus
represented the best practice at the time
Of installation, and even to-day could
hardly be improved upon. The cost Of the
dynamo and other apparatus was about
$1,000, and the expense Of expert labor
probably 5000 more. The maintenance Of
the department is said to be about $500
annually, an amount greatly In excess OF
the income. Many Of the members are
of the opinion, however, that the club
should meet the deficit, since the labora-
tory is one Of the few things reminiscent
OF the old glories OF the organization bs-
fore the Automobile Club OF America be-
came noted as the largest garage in tbs
world
The Automobile Club OF America II ths
American representative In the interna.
tional association OF automobile clubs.
None OF the foreign members OF the asso-
citation can boast Of equipment that even
approaches the A. c. A. in completeness
and efficiency. The Royal Automobile
Club Of Great Britain has nothing OF the
kind. and f. the test Of the Silent Knight
motor a few years ago was obliged to ae-
cept the figures furnished by the Daimler
factory at Coventry. The Automobns
Club of France has some fairly good APP
paratus. and in Germany there are pri-
yately owned laboratories that are Of
high class.
The local dynamometer has. on one oc-
casion. absorbed horsepower up to ITO
and can probably do more. 1t Will register
accurately motor developing as low a.
six horsepower. Not only does the apps-
ratus show horsepower and fuel consump-
ton of an engine under test, these feat
EreS being tne uSudt liliilN VA e'i' ''N''"''
laboratory, but IT can determine the pro-
portion of air to gasolene. the extent OF
vibration and other things that enter into
the calculations OF engineers.
BY means OF & huge blower fan the lab
oratory is also capable Of testing air
cooled and aeronautical motors. This fan
can produce an artificial gale of forty
miles an hour and from that down. So
that the exact condition OF an air-cooied
motor under varying speeds OF motor
car can be accurately determined.
II the department is discontinued as -
apnears likely 10 he within three weeks
there is a probability that the apparatus
will he sold or presented 10 the Society o.
Automobile Engineers. in which case 1t
will probably be taken TO Detroit wnefe
Il NAV find more general use than II mas
in this city. There has been presented the
alternative proposition OF continuing the
laboratory and increasing the charge for
tests in order that the expense may ~
cut down But retrenchment appears 10
no the order OF the day in the CLUB. even
the endowed luncheon" having been done
away with, and the matter OF local prioe
will hardly be allowed 10 interfere.