Just over 70 years ago, California shipyard Bill Tritt made the Glasspar G2, which is a sports car that uses the world’s first revolutionary new "magic material"-glass fiber reinforced plastic. "Mass production" bodywork. Also known as GRP or glass fiber, it was discovered by accident by Owens Corning in the 1930s.
Glasspar G2 started the craze for fiberglass bodywork, and GRP quickly became the material of choice for numerous small-volume automakers such as Lotus, Alpine, TVR, Matra, and Ginetta. Some larger mainstream manufacturers also quickly realized the benefits of GRP. Kaiser and Chevrolet showed prototypes of fiberglass bodies in the United States as early as 1952, while Saab and Volvo soon launched niche fiberglass bodies. Sports car.
70 years after the first use of Glasspar in 1949, glass fiber is still the preferred construction material for many professional cars, even though it is no longer popular with more mainstream people due to the subsequent development of alternative high-tech composite materials such as Kevlar and carbon fiber. Favored by market manufacturers. fiber. Here are ten surprising GRP body cars produced by mainstream manufacturers known for using more traditional materials...
Chevrolet's original 1953 Corvette was the first "mass-produced" GRP car-beating its American rival Kaiser in just a few weeks. The GRP Corvette EX-122 concept car was originally designed for the GM Motorama exhibition held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in January 1953. It attracted enough interest to convince General Motors (GM) to start production six months later. Harley Earl, a well-known GM designer, chose fiberglass because it is lightweight, rust-resistant, and provides an economical way to produce Corvette without having to spend a lot of sheet metal stamping.
Corvette has been produced using traditional glass fiber construction methods until the third generation of C3 in 1968, when a compression molding process was introduced to simplify and reduce the production time of GRP. This progress led to the development of SMC (sheet molding compound). On all 1973-2004 Corvette body panels. After 2004, Corvettes continued to use SMC, but with a higher carbon fiber content to increase strength and weight.
In order to break the dominance of domestic rival Porsche in Group 5 racing cars in the late 1970s, BMW developed the M1. The first real GRP body car of the Bavarian brand, and its first mid-engined supercar-originally developed with the help of Lamborghini-it was the first machine born in the new racing department, followed by BMW The creator of the sporty "M" model.
Ital Design style (and construction) M1 is mainly used for competition purposes, using riveted GRP panels connected to a lightweight but strong steel space frame chassis.
For the first time, M1 introduced BMW's acclaimed M88 277PS 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine. With an efficient 1,300 kg packaging and a top speed of 161 mph, theoretically, the M1 promises a lot. Unexpected changes to the rules of the 5th group, coupled with the delay of the tubular chassis developed in Italy, the overly complicated production process and the ambitious £37,500 price tag (Modern Flat 12, 371PS, Ferrari BB 512 for £35,000) Only 399 M1 road cars were manufactured, and about 55 "Formula 1 sideshow" Procars and endurance racing cars were also manufactured.
Ten years later, BMW continues to introduce its second plastic car; the Z1 roadster, featuring a detachable GE Xenoy thermoplastic body for side panels and unusual retractable doors, with GRP bonnet, luggage compartment and trunk cover.
You have to feel for the unfortunate Ford RS200. This is a special certification of fiberglass body used to compete with Peugeot, Lancia and MG in the Group B rally, but is eliminated before the model has a chance to truly prove itself NS.
In Ford's first (and only) rally in the 1986 season, the RS200 was involved in a tragic incident that resulted in the death of three spectators in the Portuguese Rally. The Portuguese accident was one of many accidents that showed that Group B was too fast and too dangerous. The formula was banned at the end of 1986.
This left a problem for Ford. Due to the cancellation of Group B, the RS200 racing career suddenly ended, causing some RS200 buyers to refuse to deliver the car. As a result, Ford never completed the 200 Reliant highway RS200 quota required to meet the certification requirements. According to reports, 158 vehicles were manufactured between October 1985 and January 1986. Ford apparently divested 50 of the RS200 that had been manufactured in compliance with highway regulations. Vehicles equipped with additional equipment will be resold, and other vehicles will be disassembled into spare parts, and unsold racing cars will be converted into road cars and sold at discounted prices.
The GRP body of the RS200 is designed by Ghia and is assembled around a honeycomb aluminum, steel and carbon fiber central bathtub, in which a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine developed by Cosworth is installed in the center.
Most of the RS200 mid-engine Ford GT40 and GT70 competition predecessors have fiberglass bodies, as is the special pickup plate of the Ford Transit 2 Flareside. Like the RS200, it is built at Reliant’s Tamworth factory with its three wheels. Rialtos!
Autobianchi's young Stellina is a two-seater Bacheta with a fiberglass body; this is not only the first of the Fiat Group, but also the first of all Italian cars. Previewed at the Turin Salon in 1963, the final GRP Stellina was launched in 1964, designed by engineer Luigi Fabio Rapi (the father of Autobianchi's Bianchina), and was supported by some styling by Tom Tjaarda.
Stellina's polyester resin and fiberglass body is very sturdy. Because the Italians were skeptical about the quality and durability of plastic materials at the time, some of the lightness advantages of GRP were lost in the process; a standard "easy repair" body was provided Kit to promote the corrosion resistance of the car body.
The body is fixed on a box-shaped frame structure of welded metal plates, taken from the popular Fiat 600 D, together with its 30PS, 767cc electric motor, the maximum speed of pedestrians is 71 mph. The improved second series Stellina uses a slightly more powerful 781cc Fiat engine to reach 78 mph. Autobianchi requested 980,000 lire for Stellina. As a result, only 502 prototypes were produced in just two years of production operation, of which about 150 were exported. In 1965, the more beautiful and cheaper Fiat 850 Spider made its debut, which ultimately determined the fate of this model.
Just before the Japanese economy collapsed in the early 1990s, Japan's fourth-largest automaker Mazda (Mazda) was optimistic about launching four new car brands: Autozam, Efini, Eunos, and the stillborn luxury Amati. Each is aimed at a different area of the new home car market.
Autozam is (abbreviated) Mazda's domestically produced small car brand. Its independent dealers sell kei and niche cars, including imported Lancia models! At the Tokyo Motor Show in 1989, the Mazda brand AZ-550 started his career with three different concept body styles. By 1992, this miniature plastic sports car was put into production as the Autozam AZ-1, and it was launched shortly after the Japanese economic bubble burst.
Equipped with a three-cylinder 657cc turbocharged engine purchased by Suzuki and a 64PS installed in a steel chassis, the micro Autozam has a plastic body shell inspired by Group C and a glass gull-wing roof. The price is too close to Mazda’s larger and more practical MX-5, much higher than its sporty Honda Beat and Suzuki Cappuccino kei-car competitors. The expensive AZ-1 has never reached its planned monthly sales of 800 vehicles. Production was discontinued soon.
The lowest Japanese car ever, the AZ-1 is not only Mazda's first and only plastic (and mid-engine) mass-produced car so far, but also Suzuki. As a result of the joint venture between the two companies, the latter was sold as Cara, accounting for only 531 (12%) of the 4,392 gull-wing coupes, all manufactured by Suzuki.
Since Citroen started production in Slough, England in 1925, it has been encouraged by its success. Since 1954, Citroen GB has started to assemble 2CV locally, customizing country models closer to the British taste through luxurious interiors and chrome bumpers.
For the first time, the unconventional 2CV failed to gain favor among the conservative British, so in order to use up the spare 2CV chassis and engine, Slough Bijou was introduced at the Earls Palace Motor Show in 1959 to more strongly attract locals’ feelings .
This 425cc Bijou is written by Peter Kirwin-Taylor, the designer of the innovative GRP monocoque Lotus Elite. It uses a modern Whitson & Co. molded fiberglass body shell. Its style is similar to that of the innovative DS and uses Some components in the Citroen halo model, such as its single-spoke steering wheel and Smith instrument.
Bijou shared its first appearance at Earls Court with BMC Mini, Ford Anglia and Triumph Herald. This powerful British trio immediately killed the chance of success for the more expensive (£674) Citroen. Bijou's ride quality is better than its three new competitors, but due to its good quality but heavy GRP body (making it heavier than the steel 2CV!)
Although not traditionally regarded as a "mainstream" brand, Ferrari is a giant of many small GRP sports car brands; Fairthorpe, Gordon-Keeble, Jide, Elva, etc.
The holy grail of Ferrari 308 admirers. The early GTB vetroresina was included for its rare fiberglass body made by Scaglietti. Before Ferrari switched production to "normal" steel in 1977, only 808 GRP Berlinettes were manufactured. The slim GRP GTB is Ferrari's quick response Bertone designed Dino 308 GT4 2+2 when it was launched in 1973 as an indirect but mediocre successor to Pininfarina's famous Dino 246.
Since many Ferrari customers rejected the 308 GT4, they wanted to immediately wear driving gloves on the new 308 GTB; it turns out that fiberglass is a quick way to quickly deliver the new mid-engined coupe to buyers. Ferrari's non-corrugated FRP meets high-quality standards, but compared to steel and alloys, it feels that the market is sluggish and frightens some customers with squeak and squeak complaints. However, GRP 308s also provides key benefits. It does not rust-unlike the later non-galvanized models before 1983-which effectively reduces the weight by 150 kg. The dry sump lubrication system is better than the steel body GTB Generates about 10PS of power, plus scarcity.
Daimler, the first British car manufacturer, has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation and has become one of the country's most respected, most dignified but scariest traditional car manufacturers. Daimler needed to reinvigorate its wealth and calm image. At the 1959 New York Auto Show, it launched a bold V8 sports car with a fiberglass body, which shocked everyone.
Originally named Dart, Daimler's new sports car is equipped with four-wheel disc brakes and a 2.5-liter 142PS compact V8 engine designed by Edward Turner, wrapped in a unique contemporary GRP body designed by Percy McNally and Jack Wichers. The SP250 was re-designated at the beginning of production. Daimler launched the model prematurely. There were many unresolved burrs, and severe chassis bending was the biggest problem.
In 1960, Jaguar acquired the troubled Daimler, and quickly set about correcting the shortcomings of the SP250, adding additional legs to improve stiffness and strengthening the hoop between the A-pillars, thus creating the 1961 B-Spec model. With its new E-type kit for the first time, it is understandable that Jaguar is reluctant to invest more in its current internal competitor SP250. Only minor details were improved before the end of production in 1964, and only 2,645 were produced afterwards. A prototype vehicle (26 vehicles are currently being used by the Municipal Public Security Bureau).
Due to unresolved styling (both Hooper and Ogle tried to remedy, the latter led to the Reliant Scimitar GT Coupe) and expensive production methods, the SP250 never met Daimler’s expectations, despite its legacy Turner's excellent V8 entered the Jaguar MK 2 body shell to create the more popular Daimler 2.5 V8.
In 1956, the Swedish aircraft and automobile manufacturer Saab combined advanced fiberglass and aviation alloys in its 94 Sonett prototype. This convertible sports car was designed to successfully set multiple speed records for its small two-stroke engine displacement class. Six front-wheel drive 94 Sonetts were built, and two survivors are now living in the Saab Museum in Trollhattan.
Ten years later, Saab re-used the Sonett name for its first real GRP production sports car, the two-seater '97' coupe. This 1966 new Sonett II is based on the improved MFI13, a sports prototype based on the two-stroke Saab 96 Monte Carlo, created by fiberglass expert Malmö Flygindustri and put into small-batch production at ASJ in Arlöv.
Directly targeting the lucrative US market, after 258 two-stroke 841cc examples, the 71PS engine of the Sonett II switched to Ford Taunus V4 power in 1968 to meet the stricter US emissions requirements. After establishing a small but enthusiastic follower in the United States, the front-wheel-drive Sonett II was replaced by the redesigned Sonett III in 1970, using the same Ford V4 power and Sonett II central wheels, but with a clearer Sergio Wedge-shaped profile designed by Coggiola.
Facts have proved that the GRP Sonett III is as flexible and fun to drive as its predecessor, but its sales impact on the American sports car market is still minimal; a total of 10,219 Sonetts were produced before it went into production at the end of 1974.
By the way, the unusual name of the sporty Saab is not a misspelling of the sonnet (double n, one t), but an abbreviation of the Swedish phrase så nätt den är, which translates as "it is so neat." 'Despite the Swedish name, Sonett was only sold intermittently in the domestic market for the 1968 and 1972 model years.
By the beginning of 1961, the once stable Studebaker was in trouble and needed to be reinvigorated. Come forward Sherwood Egbert, the ambitious new president of Studebaker, whose mission is to quickly revitalize the brand's image and revenue.
Within a few weeks of driving the steering wheel, Egbert scribbled the image-changing GT lines against the Corvette during a flight. After landing, he contacted Raymond Loewy, his famous industrial designer friend, and shared his GT vision of pulling Studebaker from the edge. Loewy quickly assembled a small talented team at his Palm Beach villa dedicated to the new Studebaker concept; a 1:8 ratio proposal was submitted (and approved by him) to Egbert within a month.
Loewy's Studebaker is a refreshing modern and neat coupe, unlike any contemporary American car. Within 12 months, Studebaker's new Avanti was immediately acclaimed as soon as it was unveiled at the 1962 New York Auto Show. The new Avanti's eye-catching use of a futuristic fiberglass body achieved the desired effect. Studebaker dealers were overwhelmed by orders for the 4.7-liter V8 GT. Avanti's GRP body production was outsourced to a panel manufacturing supplier in Corvette, Ohio. The supplier was unable to keep up with the pace of demand, forcing Studebaker to manufacture the body in-house.
Frustratingly, it was too little, too late, and Studebaker increasingly exceeded its promised delivery time, causing many customers to cancel their Avanti orders. A few days before Christmas in 1963, the penniless Studebaker was forced to close its plant in South Bend, Indiana, and produced less than 4,650 Avantis in 18 months.
It turned out that it was great to not die young. Two former Studebaker dealers restarted Avanti production in 1965. Renamed Avant II, South Bend's production largely continued Loewy's original design (with some gaps), until 2005, a total of 3,473 Avanti II coupes were produced.
With its reliable but boring reputation, Volvo tried to spice up its image in the early 1950s, and in 1954 it injected some excitement into its main new North American export market, launching an open sports car prototype with fiberglass augmentation. Strong polyester body, made by Glasspar's GRP pioneer Bill Tritt.
The one-off Volvo called P1900 attracted great interest, prompting it to start limited production in 1956. Although production ended in 1957 with a large number of GRP manufacturing quality problems and poor performance, only 67 P1900 based on Volvo PV444 were produced. Most of the examples were sold in cold Sweden!
Strong global demand led BMC to start producing Mini globally in the 1960s, which is an innovative car adapted to the needs of the local market; from Italy to Australia.
The small South American market in Chile wanted Mini, but imported cars were banned. BMC could not justify the tools and equipment needed to produce steel bodywork in Chile, so it turned to experienced Isle of Man GRP expert Peel Industries (famous for the P50 minicar) to develop the fiberglass Mini (plus BMC'ADO16') 1100) The body shell was produced locally in 1969. Another South American country, Venezuela, later revived the GRP Mini in 1992, sold it as a Cord, and built 768 examples.
Prior to its acquisition by Rootes Group, Coventry-based Singer was an astonishing GRP "early adopter", using fiberglass hoods and other panels for its modified SM1500 (renamed Hunter) in 1954 .
This follows the ten prototypes of the GRP SMX sports car built by Singer in early 1953. The flat SMX is intended as a replacement for Singer’s aging 9 Roadster. It uses a low-cost GRP under the recommendation of its US distributor Bill Vaughan. Bill Vaughan has used the groundbreaking Glasspar G2 glass fiber to make a special disposable Singer Product body shell.
Marston-Excelsior, a subsidiary of ICI, shaped Singer's GRP panels into quality standard deviations; Singer quickly abandoned these materials before being acquired by Rootes Group.
Fiat was not intimidated by its early fiberglass Autobianchi Stellina experience, but re-used the striking Stratos body material, which was a special rally weapon for its Lancia division in 1973.
Relying on the striking Bertone style (first shown in prototype form in 1971), Stratos used GRP to lift the front and rear parts and wrap them around the dart-shaped central fiberglass cockpit.
Stratos won the World Rally Championship hat trick in the 1974-76 season. The popular Lancia often wins without its huge clamped GRP body, which is heavy and easy to fall off. Bertone assembled 492 road Lancias using the acclaimed mid-mounted Dino 2.2-liter V6 engine to (almost) meet the certification rules.
The BMC image is provided by Vauxford, and the singer image is provided by Rick Feibusch.
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