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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Soy Bean Plastic

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Discussion Topic: Soy Bean Plastic

ford38v8

07-05-2011 @ 9:11 PM

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The last time Henry swung the axe, it busted the trunk lid. The reporters present (there were always reporters) were kind, but that particular Dog & Pony show never happened again.

Alan

Rusty

07-05-2011 @ 8:50 PM

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Supereal:
When you see that photo the reason everyone is inside looking out is because the axe had a rubber boot on it to keep it from going through the deck lid. Ford, being aged, couldn't hold the axe and the recoil would send it flying 15 feet away. The spectators were taking cover.
Read the two articles TomO posted if you want to learn about it. The reference in the Archive article is to V8 Times issue 46 page 51.

supereal

07-05-2011 @ 7:14 AM

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One of the famous photos of Henry Ford is of him smacking a trunk lid with an axe to demonstrate the resilience of the material. As often happened, he was ahead of his time. If effective plasticizers had been invented, we may all be driving plastic Fords. However, an attempt to capitalize on the durability of plastic for that purpose didn't work out well for the Saturns, so it is still to be solved.

This message was edited by supereal on 7-5-11 @ 7:17 AM

TomO

07-05-2011 @ 7:08 AM

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Here is a link to photos of the soybean car and its history

http://www.thehenryford.org/research/soybeancar.aspx#

and another link to the use of soy products in Fords.

http://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/henry_ford_and_employees.php

The problem with soy plastic is that it absorbed much more water than other types of plastic in use at the time.

.

Tom

ford38v8

07-04-2011 @ 8:54 PM

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Henry Ford had an obsession to make use of everything, without waste of any kind. Henry saw agricultural land lie fallow as farmers left the land for higher paying factory work and became so invested in the possibilities of soy as an answer to all mans needs that it was Ford himself that was responsible for America becoming the world's largest producer and exporter of the bean.

Henry Ford's grand design called for the farmer to grow soy, and work in factories off season. The bean itself had many uses, from food to clothing to plastic from the resin. Even the byproduct of resin production was used as cattle fodder.

The soy plastic car of 1940 marked the end of Henry's promotion of soy as car body parts. Henry had by that time lost interest in soy and had immersed himself in the furthering of the Edison Institute, his last great vision. The car was completed, but was not drivable due to the overwhelming odor of the outgassing soy plastic. It is not known if the soy car exists today, as it is not mentioned in any Ford document discovered to date.

Alan

trjford8

07-04-2011 @ 6:21 PM

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Henry used soybean palstic for many years. It was used in steering wheels, horn button/light switch units, dash plastic, etc. In 1940 Henry actually built a soy bean car. Do a Google search of "Ford's use of soybean plastic" and you will get a ton of information about Henry and his use of this type of plastic. His goal was to utilize agricultural products in the manufacture of automobiles. He may have been a farmer at heart.

fatfender

07-04-2011 @ 4:58 PM

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It's my understanding that the dash plastic for 42 through 48 Fords and Mercs were derived from a soy bean plastic. Is this true? Any other places or years that ole Henry used soy bean plastic? Just curious.

Thanks

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