Few major changes for 1972 autos
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Lines of jobless men seeking employment aid are becoming commonplace in the U.S.
than 40 often has difficulty even getting an interview. Gender is also an obstacle, several women point out. One woman Ph.D. chemist tells C&EN, "It was difficult enough when times were good for women to get jobs in industry; now it is almost impossible. What few jobs are available go to men, who are considered to be—rightly or wrongly—the breadwinners." Another obstacle to finding employment is the now familiar "overqualified/overexperienced syndrome" (C&EN, July 26, page 1). Notes Joanne Kravitz, secretary of the Unemployed Chemists Club in southern California: "Some employers when they do have openings will ask for a person with a very specific kind of experience. They are unwilling to retrain those people whose experience might be in another field." Evidently, jobs in paints, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals literally go begging, because few aerospace people are considered to have appropriate experience in these fields. So unemployed chemists are grim about their future prospects. Some point out that in addition to chemists who are unemployed, many are employed temporarily, part time, or subprofessionally. Yet despite psychological and financial hardships (many unemployed chemists have exhausted their savings and unemployment compensation), most aren't bitter, just resigned. Typical is Mack King, a 49-year-old chemical engineer with four children who was laid off from C. F. Braun & Co. last October. "I always had the feeling that things would get better," he says, "but they haven't yet. So I've caught up on odd jobs around the house and done a little remodeling and painting." Indeed, one chemist observes cynically that an aerial view of some parts of southern California would undoubtedly reveal a spate of freshly painted houses—all belonging to the ranks of the unemployed.
A hold-the-line year is in store for the U.S. auto industry in 1972: few new models; few major changes in styling; and, as a result, no big changes in the materials used. Still, with the big boost from the Nixon Administration's new economic policy, auto makers are looking for a banner year for their 1972 cars. Last month Ford forecast that 1972 model sales would top the 1969 record of 8.5 million cars (excluding imports). Sales of 1971 domestic models are expected to total about 8.3 million units; sales of imports, about 1.5 million. Of greater concern to suppliers, though, is the car buyer's increasing preference for small cars. In the 1971 model year, minis, subcompacts, and compacts together accounted for about 35% of auto sales. And the trend toward smaller cars is expected to continue. Thus, the use of plastics, which consistently have been the big gainer among materials going into cars, could slow in the next few years. Incorporation of plastics in 1971 models, for example, averaged 110 pounds per car, compared to 100 pounds in 1970 models. Use of plastics in new models, however, will probably increase only to 115 to 117 pounds per auto. Extension. Most of the increased use of plastics in 1972 models stems from extension of existing applications, not from any major new uses. Polypropylene, for instance, is finding steppedup application both inside and outside new cars. Chrysler began a running change in its 1971 cars from cellulose acetate butyrate steering wheels to polypropylene. Polypropylene steering wheels are standard equipment on all 1972 Ply mouths and Dodges. Ford is equipping its new Thunderbird, Torino, Mercury Montego, and Continental Mark IV models with polypropylene license plate brackets with a molded-in hinge. Thunderbird and Continental Mark IV have glass-fiberreinforced polypropylene fender aprons, first used on the 1970 Lincoln Continental. The tail lamp housings on the Plymouth Barracuda, Duster, and Satellite models are made of glassfilled polypropylene or black acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). More cars have ABS instrument panels and grilles in 1972. Thunderbird, Torino, Mercury Montego, and Continental Mark IV all have ABS instrument panels for the first time in 1972. All Plymouth Fury models have ABS grilles. More exterior front end panels are
i made of glass-fiber-reinforced polyester (GFRP) on the new models. 1972 Oldsmobile 88's and 98's are equipped with GFRP one-piece front end panels. Fender skirts on Plymouth models and the front end and headlamp mounting panel on the Dodge Challenger are GFRP. Among new uses for materials, all 1972 Chryslers have positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valves made of glass-reinforced nylon instead of the conventional metal. And Chrysler is now using silicone rubber formed-inplace gaskets on certain engines in its Windsor, Ont., plant. A silicone rubber adhesive/sealant is applied as a small but uniform bead. After the bead is laid down, parts are bolted together in the usual manner. Urethane. The emphasis on safety continues to trigger material changes in autos. Although federal standards for bumpers are still one model year away, several auto makers are equipping their 1972 models with improved bumpers. All of the 1972 full-size Pontiacs, for instance, have a new energyabsorbing front bumper. The bumper consists of two telescoping steel boxes that contain urethane blocks positioned between the bumper and the frame of the car. Upon impact, the urethane blocks compress to absorb energy; the bumper returns to its original position after an impact, Pontiac says. Oldsmobile 88's and 98's have a new spring steel front bumper system. The system employs spring steel mounting columns and interlocking spring steel bars that can flex up to 1 1/2 inches under impact, says Oldsmobile. As a result, the system absorbs much of the force of low-impact collisions.
New Pontiac Catalina features energyabsorbing front bumper using urethane SEPT. 6, 1971 C&EN
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