Business & Finance: Synthetic Body

Last week an auto with a plastic body was rolled out in Costa Mesa, Calif, by the Glasspar Co., which has been making laminated glass boats. Mounted on a Willys chassis, the 185-lb. body required no heat or pressure to mold, was made by laying successive layers of polyester resin, Owens-Corning Fiberglas matting and Fiberglas cloth (see above) on a form. Glasspar, which plans to retail the bodies for about $625, sold the first one to U.S. Rubber, which manufactures the resin and hopes to get automakers interested in plastic bodies. They are stronger than metal ones, said U.S. Rubber, and...