Hi Gang…

More great fiber news!

Thanks to the efforts of Bill Sigworth, retired Chemtura executive (legacy company from Naugatuck Chemical / U.S. Rubber days) and Ann Harmon, expert Chemtura Librarian, we now have excellent scans of the U.S. Rubber Magazines related to the production of the Glasspar G2 sports car from the years ’52-’54.  Today is the first of these newsletters we’re now able to share.

This U.S. Rubber Magazine is dated April, ’52 – just months after the debut of the Brooks Boxer at the November 1951 Petersen Motorama.  Let’s see what U.S. Rubber / Naugatuck Chemical had to say about the fiberglass sports car that they were so instrumental in creating.

Plastic Auto Body
Dentprooof, Strong, Lightweight:
It’s Made With Naugatuck Checmical’s Vibrin Resin
U.S. Rubber Magazine

Teaming up polyester plastic and fibrous glass has been called by many in industry the most significant development in new materials in the past decade.  One of the reasons is its intriguing possibility as a material for the manufacture of automobile bodies. 

Tough, dent-proof, easily formed by low-cost methods, impervious to rust and chemicals, the polyester plastic-glass fiber combination seems to have all of the properties needed to make auto bodies more serviceable and durable.  A significant step in this direction was made early this year when the four partners of the Glasspar Company of Costa Mesa, California, placed a body of this type into production.

The polyester plastic they used is the familiar Vibrin manufactured by our Naugatuck Chemical division.   Dr. Earle S. Ebers, sales manager for Vibrin plastic, worked in close cooperation with Glasspar during the initial stages of production.

The first body was mounted on a special frame with a super-charged engine.  It was purchased by Naugatuck Chemical and driven by Dr. Ebers on a 3000 mile cross-country road test covering 20 southern cities to see how well it would withstand road service.  Its performance exceeded even the hopes of the most optimistic.

While the body is not yet ready for the mass production needed to make it available to all the motoring public, it represents definite progress toward that goal.  It is also a good example of how big business and small business work together building products for the benefit of all the American people.

The Rest Of The Story:

Let’s have a look at the rest of the pictures in their story – in the sequence they were meant to be viewed:

Summary:

Ok…they may have used a bit of embellishment in telling the tale.  The first car was not purchased by Naugatuck – the first car was the Brooks Boxer.  The second car was commissioned to be built by Glasspar for Naugatuck / U.S. Rubber and was christened the Alembic I – and it wasn’t supercharged (that sounds pretty cool, though).

Thanks again to Bill Sigworth and Ann Harmon for making today’s story possible.  The legions of folks at Forgotten Fiberglass greatly appreciate your effort 🙂

Hope you enjoyed the story, and until next time…

Glass on gang…

Geoff

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