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A developmental approach was adopted to establish aluminum as a viable body sheet material for vehicle weight reduction. Initially, both the material advantages of aluminum, as well as certain limiting factors for automotive processing were recognized. A major plant trial was conducted and methods of resolving both functional and processing issues evolved. The in-plant tryout and subsequent field evaluation of hood panels produced useful information on forming, welding, metal finishing and painting as well as appearance and functional elements pertinent to product field performance. Panels from this trial were evaluated at intervals during two years of exposure to demanding field conditions. During this same period laboratory efforts resolved remaining, less-critical issues.

Rear disc brakes were released as standard equipment on 1975 Mark IV and as a regular production option on 1975 Lincoln, Thunderbird, and Mercury. This brake is the result of a joint Ford/Kelsey-Hayes design and development effort. The key feature is a single-piston sliding caliper with an integral, self-adjusting parking brake mechanism. The design offers great flexibility in packaging on various car lines and on different axles. This paper describes the major features of the design and the significant problems found and overcome in the development program.

For 1974, Ford Motor Company is providing, as standard equipment, a solid state ignition system on all 400 CID and 460 CID engines as well as on all California vehicles equipped with 200 through 351 CID engines. This paper explains the Ford solid state ignition system and the objectives and design philosophy that was used in the development of the system. Further, a review of the design and production validation test plans is discussed. With this background, specific examples of the effectiveness of complete problem analysis for fundamental cause and corrective action is presented in addition to control methods and evaluation of corrective action. This problem analysis system allowed this automotive electronic product to go into production with a high degree of confidence in meeting the reliability goals.

Painted and color-pigmented elastomerics, specifically painted microcellular urethane and ethylene propylene terpolymer (EPDM), and painted and color pigmented vinyls are being employed extensively as highly flexible bumper stone deflectors on 1973 passenger vehicles built in the United States. The urethane parts are fabricated by a cast process; the EPDM is extruded, compression and injection molded; and the vinyls are extruded or injection molded. The urethanes and some vinyl are painted by conventional paint processes, whereas the EPDM is treated by a specific surface activation prior to painting. A wide range of colors, including metallics, are used to match the painted body to provide color continuity. On some vehicles, black, argents, and grey colors are employed where the stone deflector is not as highly visible or where a pleasing color contrast is desired.

The Ford approach to ESV development was to attempt to meet government Experimental Safety Vehicle Program objectives by modifying a production vehicle by the use of materials and manufacturing processes suitable for mass production, and thereby hold cost increases to a reasonable level. This objective has not been met. However, improvements in vehicle structural integrity were accomplished in the experimental vehicle, and valuable engineering information was obtained. The methods employed to achieve these improvements did not prove to be feasible for established mass production techniques. They were highly experimental in nature, prohibitive in cost, and resulted in a weight penalty of 32% over a current production Ford. The Ford ESV incorporates a special body-frame energy absorbing system designed to dissipate kinetic energy during a 50 mph barrier crash.

A new method, which enlists the aid of a digital computer, has been perfected to quickly and accurately determine the performance of a proposed rearview mirror while still early in the design stage. Because of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) require a minimum viewing performance for both inside and outside left rearview mirrors, and since a common method — by which an intended design can be judged for compliance — would benefit both the Industry and the Federal Government, this method and the appropriate computer programs are being made available to all interested groups. Use of the computer programs results in a tremendous time savings over any manual drafting technique. This paper is intended to serve as a design guide to be followed when packaging rearview mirrors. A general introduction on the subject of rear viewing is followed by a discussion of the approach to the problem of evaluating the performance of a rear viewing device.