The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 16, 1979, Image 8

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    Page 8
THE BATTALION
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1979
Metal scrapes, causes sparks
Plastic gas tanks safe, save fuel
United Press International
DETROIT — United States au
tomakers are looking at pliable plas
tic fuel tanks as a way of reducing
the danger of fires and explosions in
rear-end collisions.
Automotive engineers say tests
have shown tanks made of sturdy,
moldable plastic can hold up better
than metal in hazardous situations.
Because they weigh less, they offer a
potential fuel saving bonus.
T
FORX
1
T
(
STEAKHOUSE +
Hwy. 6 South, College Station 1 *
—ft—
Now serving Prime Rib
‘Meet me at the FORT for lunch.”
Matt Dillon
Our Message is:
Disco Dancing
from 8:00 till 12:00
Friday Night Feb. 16.
Admission: 1.00 per person,
Everyone welcome.
Our Location is:
Bryan Lodge 99 Downtown Bryan
Sons of Hermann
1104 W. 25th
Across From
Wehrmans Cafe
However, U.S. car makers are
concerned that plastic gasoline con
tainers may not be popular with the
public or with federal safety offi
cials.
The Chrysler Corp. and Ford
Motor Co. have equipped some
light-duty trucks, vans and recre
ational vehicles with plastic fuel
tanks. After the 1974 Arab oil em
bargo, Ford offered a small, plastic
auxiliary tank on some full-size and
luxury cars.
Few buyers picked up the option.
Ford scrapped plans to put a
molded, polyethylene tank in its
1979 Mustang.
“We didn’t have the guts to take
the risk,” Chairman Henry Ford II
told an interviewer recently.
“In every way we thought it was
much better,” Ford said. “But we
didn’t have the courage to put it on
our product because we didn’t know
what the liabilities would be and
what the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration would say
about it.”
Present NHTSA standards, which
apply to all cars, trucks and buses
under 10,000 pounds, say fuel tanks
may not spill more than an ounce of
gasoline per minute when rolled
over after a rear-end impact of 30
mph.
The standards do not specify what
material manufacturers must use for
fuel tanks.
“You can use paper mache if you
want to, as long as it meets the per
formance standard,” one company
spokesman said.
A recent report on high density
polyethylene gas tanks by Phillips
Chemical Co. said tests conducted
in the 1960s indicated “plastic tanks
were not only as safe as metal tanks
but possibly even safer.”
It said both metal and plastic
tanks, when engulfed in flames,
failed in about two minutes. But the
metal ones often exploded, scatter
ing their flaming contents, while the
plastic tanks melted down and
fueled the fire.
In impact tests, water-filled metal
tanks ruptured when dropped from
a height of 10 feet while plastic tanks
withstood drops of 30 feet, the re
port said.
One auto company spokesman
noted that, unlike metal tanks, plas
tic ones will not generate sparks in a
collision or if scraped along a road
surface in an accident.
The Phillips report also noted
polyethylene tanks weigh 30 to 50
percent less than template steel,
adding to the fuel-saving potential.
Spokesmen for the plastics indus
try say they have high hopes for
plastic fuel tanks and other plastic
automotive components as the auto
companies continue downsizing cars
to meet the 1985 fuel economy
standard of 27.5 mph.
1
Lonely
to find owtie
this weeken
By PHYLLIS P0Nl)K«
Saltali 0 " R e po rte r
I he Wheelman’s Club oft
A&M University will sponso |
chon of abandoned and und
bicycles Saturday in the CroJ
ginning at 1:30 p. m . *1
The bicycles will include,
speeds, 2 five-speeds, hj
speeds, and 14 one-speeds
brands include Schwinn*
Western Flyer and Raleigh
The auction is held annua
sell unclaimed bicycles the U
sity Police have picked up ol
pus. Most of these bicycle]
picked up in May after the i
of the students have left tog
said Thomas Parsons, directorj|
curity and traffic for Univd
Police. He said only those 1
left unlocked on campus aree
eated.
Every bicycle in the aucfal
been advertised in the Battal
the Eagle by the University]
to try and find its original 4
nobody responds to the
ment in seven months, the 1
becomes eligible for
tion.
If the bicycle was register^]
the University Police, the#
send out registered letters i
last owner and wait six monta
reply to the letters. If therel
reply the bicycle is advertisd|
becomes property of the i
if no owner claims it.
jy|/#
ATTENTION
FRESHMAN
WOMEN
Freshman
Women’s Honor
Sella
Society
You are invited to become a member of AAA if you
meet the necessary requirements: you attended
A&M in the fall semester as a Freshman, took at
least 15 hours, and posted a 3.5 GPR or above.
You must confirm your interest by 5:00 p.m. Feb.
16. Call 845-1228 or come by Rm. 108, YMCA.
Young says In
similar to c
rights movemei
Texas
United Press International
WACO — United Nations
bassador Andrew Young
there is a similiarity betw«|
conditions in America durii
peak of the civil rights movei
the 1960s and the current
in Iran.
Young, in Waco for a civic
tion, said Wednesday the
Iran are organizing around
gious forum just as the hi
when most of the civil ri|
ment leaders came from theji
Blacks in America esstnl uervatio
EW’s re
lecific qi
oposed p
those locked out of the politid
cess by denial of the right
began to go to their churci
search of leadership as a Ix G f
political organization andsoi
ligious institutions and the
community became the moti
and organizing force for acivl
political process,” Young t# xbe Un
porters.
On another matter, Yoim
the relationship between the!
States and Mexico was good,o () f,
some differences in the
said Mexico must be give:
nomic development aid so its
would not find it economical 1
ficial to cross the U.S. bon
order to find work.
Depart m
d Welfai
verning
rcollegiat:
verse ef
Jam Texa
als.
Texas A
sure ec
ams for
ges and
e nation,
rning pc
omen’s :
nse to
ixk:
The pc
andard v\
thousa
Oman pa
ty added
am,
reg
cMyumdcC&
A
NOON-SEVEN
■>
75c bar drinks
40c beer
penditi
[rovide e
asoned t
This fa
ties for i
omen’s ;
iscourag
vely strf
NORTHGATE (Next to the Dixie Chicken)
otic—: me
one
otic
otic
Now Better Than Ever. You Will Be Pleased
These Carefully Prepared and Taste Temptina
Each Daily Special Only $1.79 Plus Tax.
“Open Daily” nDll
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. — 4:00 P.M. to 7:00PJ
articipati
ply to ]
Pita stai
ith the (
dpation.
Texas A
t that f
Ward '
ifcollegft
'e same
,|> situatioi
lr ily met
In add
reposed
reductiv
MONDAY EVENING
TUESDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
Salisbury Steak
Mexican Fiesta
with
Dinner
Mushroom Gravy
Two Cheese and
Whipped Potatoes
Onion Enchiladas
Your Choice of
w/chili
One Vegetable
Mexican Rice
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Coffee or Tea
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
WEDNESDAY
EVENING SPEC
Chicken Fried Stea
w/cream Grav y
Whipped Potatoes^
Choice of one oth
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread an
Coffee or Tea
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
kalian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner
SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE
Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread
Tea or Coffee
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
BREADED FISH
FILET w/TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Chicken &
Dumplings
Tossed Salad
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
“Quality First”
SUNDAYSrg
NOON amt EVE “
ROAST TURKEY
Served wit'