SPEED KILLS TEST VALIDITY
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I FOUND the road test of the Dal FT 3600 DKZ ATi CM, January 4) interesting, but two points rather spoilt it.
First, if the segment of tachograph shown is typical of the whole test (it suggests excessive speed), then I find the whole exercise as far as fuel consumption and times are concerned a bit pointless. Unless all tests are carried out "legal" it is impossible to make true comparisons.
Second, many British Dal ZFs already have a 7/8 spring bias.
A. J. Minivan Moulton Leys Northampton • Our policy of adhering to legal maximum speed limits in all road tests has not changed. The Dal 173600 ATi test was carried out in our normal manner, staying as close as possible to a (rue 97km/h (60mph ) on all motorway sections where the conditions allow, though, as always, our tachograph chart speed traces inevitably show occasional peaks slightly above that speed.
The original chart from this test had a weak speed trace which required inking to make it readable on the printed page, and this has exagiyrated the peaks.
Dal Trucks (GB) tells us that some, but not many, pre-ATi models had ZI: 165-130 gearboxes with the 7/8 lever bias. This FT 3600 was the first CM-test Dal to be set up this way. — Editor.