Mustang Valve Covers Made From Carpets?
TMN Staff April 8,2011
Of all the Detroit Three automakers, Ford likes to tout its green streak more than the others. And while many large corporations put on a nice dog and pony show about how they are working to save the environment, with Ford it’s actually a part of the company culture. In modern times past CEO Bill Ford has led the charge by driving electric Ford Rangers and transforming the Rouge Complex into a world class sustainable assembly plant complete with a growing roof. One hundred years ago, Henry Ford was experimenting with soya bean based plastics and other farm based building materials for his cars.
In a practical manner Ford has been using an amazing amount of recycled materials in their new cars, proving that you can make “green think” actually work in tangible ways, being more than just hot air. To wit, many new Mustang owners might be surprised to find out their cylinder head covers are made from recycled carpeting from homes, offices and cars.
The plastic cylinder head covers found in many Fords including the new 5.0 liter Mustang is made from a material called EcoLong. It’s made from100 percent recycled carpet and Ford says that its use in their products has saved more than 4.1 million pounds of carpet from landfills. It amounts to recycling more than 985,000 yards of carpet and reducing the consumption of more than 430,000 gallons of oil.
The EcoLon material from Wellman Engineering Resins offers an eco-friendly, high-quality alternative to typical cylinder head covers and is one more example of Ford’s continued dedication to finding renewable material solutions for use in its vehicles. The cylinder head covers are manufactured by Dana Holding Corporation.
“By working with Wellman and Dana, Ford has found a way to bring green applications to a new, unique location in our vehicles,” said Brett Hinds, Ford manager, engine design. “This single use has made an incredible impact, and we’re continuing to look for ways to expand the use.”
The cover is the first automotive product of its kind manufactured from post-consumer recycled nylon. To repurpose nylon, Wellman grinds used nylon carpeting into fiber and recaptures the material through a patented, proprietary process. The resulting product is a high-quality nylon resin, which Dana then uses to mold into cylinder head covers through its injection-molding process.
So while you are out pumping the atmosphere full of greenhouses gases with your 411hp Mustang, putting tire particles in the air at the drag strip you can feel good that some of that action has already been partially offset before the car ever left the assemble plant.
http://www.themustangnews.com/content/2011/04/mustang-valve-covers-made-from-carpet/
