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SupertrucksGiving support to supertrucks
Downey Products has become the name-in-title sponsor of the Bobby Dotter's Supertruck. The company is headquartered in Mooresville, NC, where many NASCAR race shops are located. Downey, the manufacturer of aluminum-framed tonneau covers, is planning to have race autograph sheets and POS materials in retail outlets that carry the Downey covers.

New Walker exhaust efficiency index permits a muffler performance comparison
An Anechoic chamber FOR YEARS the aftermarket exhaust industry has attempted to accurately and simultaneously relate the sound and performance efficiency of exhaust products.

The new WalkerŪ Exhaust Index solves this problem by correlating the interaction between a muffler's sound and its efficiency. The index is a method that numerically quantifies the effectiveness of a muffler based on acoustic levels and backpressure. Using the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Half Meter Static Test maximum sound acceptance level of 95db(A), Walker engineers subtract a chosen application's tested db(A) level and divide this number by the muffler's measured backpressure (in inches of mercury) at an airflow of 200 standard cubic feet per minute.
The resulting number is then multiplied by the applicable engine's displacement. This final number is the Walker Exhaust Index and can be used to compare mufflers for the same vehicle application.
The Walker Exhaust Index equation is written as follows:
As an example, a new WalkerŪ Quiet-Flow muffler for a Buick Regal with a 3.8L engine produced an index number of 45. Testing of a competitive muffler for the same application results in a Walker Exhaust Index of 13.
"In layman's terms, a higher Walker Exhaust Index number indicates a better performing muffler," says Bill Dreyer, chief aftermarket engineer of exhaust systems for Tenneco Automotive. "The difference between the two Walker Exhaust Index numbers indicates that the Quiet-Flow muffler is a better performing muffler in terms of combined acoustical performance and exhaust flow efficiency."
Walker engineers also tested mufflers using a modified CHP Half Meter Static Test. This test uses a microphone that is positioned one-half meter from a test vehicle's tailpipe, 18 inches above the ground and at a 45-degree angle.
While the CHP conducts its tests with the vehicle's engine at three-quarter rated engine speed, Walker engineers operate the test vehicle engine at a constant 3000 RPM. "We feel this modification to the CHP Static Test gives us a more consistent measurement of how a muffler sounds and performs during normal driving conditions," Dreyer says.
All Walker Exhaust Index testing is conducted under strict engineering testing protocol at Walker's Jackson Aftermarket Engineering Facility located in Jackson, MI.
With worldwide sales of $3 billion, Tenneco Automotive is the leading global manufacturer of ride control and exhaust system components, and operates 70 facilities in 22 countries in North America, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Its parent company, Tenneco (NYSE:TEN) is a global manufacturing company based in Greenwich, CT, with 1996 revenues of $7 billion.

RETAIL BRIEFS

Editor's Note: This column focuses on retailers' updates. Included are top executive appointments, awards, business transactions, promotions and other news.

Big A Auto Parts has named Monroe Shock Absorbers, a division of Tenneco Automotive, its 1996 Vendor of the Year for its level of excellence in inventory management, product quality, sales, marketing and operations. APS, Inc., a distributor of Big A brand, sells to more than 2,000 stores from its 27 distribution centers nationwide.

Discount Auto Parts has completed placement of $50 million of 7.46 percent fixed-rate senior term notes with a 10-year maturity date and an 8.5-year average life. The notes will provide the company with a solid, fixed-rate base level of borrowing, according to chief financial officer C. Michael Moore. The money will support the expansion of the distribution center and anticipated store growth. The Lakeland, FL-based firm operates more than 407 stores in the southeast United States.

Republic Automotive Parts, Inc., which distributes replacement parts through 15 distribution centers and 92 auto parts stores in 16 states, reported net sales for the three months ended June, 30, 1997, of $50.2 million compared to $48.3 million for the second quarter of 1996. Net income for the quarter amounted to $1.3 million or $0.36 per share, compared to $1.6 million or $0.44 per share.

Keith M. Thompson, president, said the results for the second quarter reflected the continued industry-wide softness in retail demand for replacement auto parts. The gain in net sales was due both to internal growth of the Fenders & More business units as well as contributions from acquired centers. The company currently has 18 Fenders & More locations.

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