Last month I was fortunate to be invited to the testing of the new Workhorse chassis at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio. This is a completely new gasoline powered chassis that can compete favourably with many diesel units in the 35 to 37-foot range.

Workhorse Custom Chassis purchased the motor-home chassis division from General Motors and will be the supplier to several motorhome build-ers starting this fall. This new chassis will be powered with a General Motors Vortec 8.1L gasoline engine that produces less pollution and has better fuel economy than the older 7.4 L engine.

This new power plant puts out a whopping 340 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 455-foot-pounds of torque at 3200 rpm. It's coupled with a new Allison LCT Electronic 5-speed transmission with overdrive lockout that is so smooth you hardly notice it shifting. This whole system rides on 22.5-inch tires for a smooth, stable ride. Since the engine is mounted lower in the frame, the engine doghouse almost disappears into a smooth floor and the basement contains more room for storage.

I compared the Workhorse to a gasoline V-10 chassis and a rear engine diesel chassis all loaded up to the same GVWR. In subjective tests I drove the three motorhome type chassis over exactly the same cross-country course that consisted of smooth pavement, dirt, gravel, washboard, chuckholes, chatter bumps and mud. The centre even provides, what they call, Corkscrew Hill, that is comprised of twisting, turning roads and 12 per cent grades. I was able to test for ride quality, body lean, acceleration, hill climbing ability, noise, vibration and fuel economy. I found the new Workhorse chassis performed excellent in most categories.

This new chassis will be available after September. It has the power you want along with the comfort and quietness you desire without the costs of a rear diesel unit. A network of over 400 Workhorse service centres will be able to provide you with chassis/drivetrain warranty work and coach service at one time in one place.

The Transportation Research Center provides services to industry, governments and others conducting a variety of vehicular research, development, and testing programs. Here they can test for safety, energy, fuel economy, emissions, brakes, bumpers, durability, performance, noise, rollovers, crash simulation and crashworthiness.

The centre is where most of the testing of new prototype vehicles is done to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Anything with wheels and an engine can be tested here, from motorcycles to motorhomes. This is the home of the crash test dummy, where the famous torture tests are done. Vehicles are crashed into other vehicles, barriers, poles, trees, guard rails and pretend embassy barriers.

The centre has thrust capabilities that can propel a payload of 10,000 pounds to a speed of 71 miles per hour while maintaining an acceleration of 44Gs. There is even a graveyard behind the crash test facility filled with brand new prototypes that have been crashed. It is disheartening in a way to see such beautiful machinery destroyed, but it is done for our protection.

Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, vehicles can be tested on an accelerated schedule to produce 50,000 miles of driving experience in as little as two months of continuous driving on the 7.5 mile track. The complete 7,500-acre site contains over one hundred miles of roadway. The extensive facilities also offer computerized instrumentation, high-speed photography and experienced personnel to meet the testing needs of the recreational vehicle and bus industries.

This is a secure facility operated by the University of Ohio. Since all the testing is being done on prototype units, getting in is like going into Fort Knox - the companies testing here do not want just anyone to see what models lie three or four years down the road. So, though I'm sworn to secrecy, I can say it was a fascinating experience.