My weird connection to Fieros? "Enduraflex"! (or, how my Fiero got its name)

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
02/26/2019 at 22:54 • Filed to: None

I hinted at it before that I have a personal connection to the story of the Pontiac Fiero. It isn’t terribly exciting, but I enjoy the full circle nature of it and it all revolves around the body panel material that Pontiac called “Enduraflex”.

Truth be told, the “Enduraflex” name wasn’t for an individual material as much as it was the whole system . See, different plastics and materials were used for different parts. Each one having their own properties of formability, flexibility, and thermal expansion rates. By taking all of this into account, and electing the right primer and paint, GM could have the best of every world, for every part of the car. It’s why even decently maintained Fieros tend to at least have decent body panels.

Now to do this system, GM called on outside consultants and scientists to get this done. Their in-house team were simply too inexperienced to get all of it done so they focused on the manufacturing process to make this whole shebang work. The other scientists and consultants worked out which materials should be used where, and what paint and primer should be used for consistent color. One of these scientists? Reginald G. Bell.

Bell was actually teaching at Kettering University by this point in his career. But as Kettering was still GMI (General Motors Institute) at the time, he was on a bit of a retainer by GM. They hired most of the students already so he helped out with interior plastics and those newfangled plastic bumpers for vehicles like the GTO Judge. So....yeah....he did his part and kept a few of the old prototype parts and early production samples in his office for shits and giggles (along with samples of everything else he had a hand in...Johnny cash could build a cadillac in one day after a visit, though he’d have to settle for a headlight from a buick or a grille from a hummer or something).

For those who know me, I went to Kettering myself. I majored in Chemistry and took a few classes with Professor Bell. It was actually his polymers and composites class that I heard about his work on the Fiero and the C4/C5 corvettes. He was rather....ancient by this time though. And sadly, he passed away a few years ago. I got to see him one last time when I stopped in at a car show not long after I graduated. Less than a year later, he passed. And the chemistry department will never be the same...

So now, here I am, developing car care products and protective agents and whatnot and....I get to use them to protect a car he helped build.

Small world.

But I guess it’s time to say I can’t wait to welcome Reggie into my garage.

DISCUSSION (15)

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/26/2019 at 23:23

Good Story.

I always liked the concept of a strong but modular unitized space frame, covered by composite panels.

Seems like the better approach than Pontiac/GM Alum John Z. DeLorean’s car, which used a steel X-frame, composite fiberglass space frame, and stainless steel body panels, IIRC.

removable, replaceable, dent-resistant, rust-impervious body panels seem like a good idea for both serviceability, and design adaptation, as well as aftermarket modification.

The only potential downside... hidden corrosion on the unseen parts of the space frame, under the panels.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/26/2019 at 23:34

What car care products do you make? Or do you want to keep it on the DL

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
02/26/2019 at 23:35

I make automatic car wash d etergents and waxes/additives. But on the side I’ve been developing some new synthetic waxes and gloss agents for a “consumer” line for them to sell in their gas stations/amazon store someday .

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/26/2019 at 23:36

Huh. Interesting. Do you use the products on your own car?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
02/26/2019 at 23:38

Yup! My Focus ST too! Then detailing my car counts as “R&D”.

Chariotoflove > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/27/2019 at 00:11

I like this story. And I especially like the fire extinguisher pic.

KrisWinner > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/27/2019 at 08:52

I had Reggie Bell for Organic Chemistry in 1987. He mentioned a little car we may have heard of called “The Fiero”...

For a freshman that was a little overwhelmed by everything college-related, he was exactly the prof I needed at the time. Good dude.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > KrisWinner
02/27/2019 at 09:05

Mhmm! He did his best to welcome everyone and tried to make all students excited for chemistry.

But of course, you know, *I* was his favorite student :P

KrisWinner > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/27/2019 at 10:17

With all due respect, I would have to disagree. Pretty sure *I* was his favorite...

StudentDriver > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/27/2019 at 10:23

Im actually a Kettering student myself, unfortunately I never got to learn under Reggie Bell

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > KrisWinner
02/27/2019 at 12:40

Ugh. The feels hit me since a current student just commented. They’ll never get to be his favorite student. But really, we all are.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > StudentDriver
02/27/2019 at 18:19

Yeah....he was a treasure. But the chemistry department is still full of characters. I take it you're an ME? Or an IE?

WullahBlack > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/28/2019 at 00:06

So, what primers and paints should i be using? My 85's decklid and bumpers are in need of some paint!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > WullahBlack
02/28/2019 at 00:11

No clue! I’m looking for a body shop guy right now since some panels have some oxidation and one has a crack in it. Beauty of a Fiero is being able to just drop off a panel to be painted/repaired vs dropping off the whole car.

WullahBlack > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
02/28/2019 at 00:52

Mine has held up extremely well for being a Michigan car. But after 34 years, the constant shrinking and expanding of the paint is starting to show on the top parts, mostly decklid and roof (the spoiler has long faded)

I had a dealer paint some parts of it, very minor things, but the guy that did it (who was around when the Fieros came out and worked in the body shop) has since retired and I, too, seek someone who knows what they are doing.