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Crises become challenges in its 75th anniversary year Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Certainly not the Society of Automotive Engineers. Hale and hearty after weathering three-quarters of a century of constant change, boom and bust. SAE views the '80s as a time of challenge rather than crises and looks forward to playing a major role in dealing with such complex matters a,s the environment, productivity, safety, strengthening engineering credibility, educa­ tion and the top priority subject--energy. Born in the lusty, youthful years of the American auto industry purely as a nonprofit, educational and scientific organization, SAE at 75 can reflect back over decades of impressive accomplishment. Standards that let you switch automotive parts and lubricants, for example. Because there is SAE, you can mix tires of the same size but differing brands on the car you drive. The same is true with head­ lights. No problem.- You can add a quart of oil that's different from what's in the crankcase, top up the master cylinder with a different type of fluid or add a second or even third brand of grease to the lu­ brication joints in the front sus­ pension. Manufacturing benefited Thanks to the efforts of SAE, the manufacture and care of cars, trucks, buses, motorcy­ cles, aircraft and other self-pro­ pelled vehicles is a much simpler task today than it might have been otherwise. No matter what the area-- from light bulbs to fan belts, from flanges to flywheels, from *ci ; : '.>,o ! > PAGE 8 - PLAINDEALER - spark plugs to transmission-- there are SAE Standards to sim­ plify the task. The oil viscosity specifica­ tions of SAE I0W30, SAE 20 and SAE SO are household terms. There are many less ob­ vious but equally important standards, however, for the do- it-yourselfer, including a stan­ dard for spark plug threads which limits the number of sizes to aid their interchangeability. The tail-light lenses on your car most likely are embossed with an SAE standards designa­ tion. This standard assures that all tail lights provide the same intensity and illumination. Nu­ merous other lighting standards insure compatibility, aid night driving and make vehicles safer. Air travel gained, too SAE has also helped make air travel safer and easier. The in­ flatable escape mechanisms on today's commercial jet trans­ ports as well as the cockpit in­ strumentation and control FRIDAY. OCTOBER 3,1980 layouts are designed to conform to SAE's standards. More than 1,800 other SAE standards are in use covering aerospace mate­ rials. The sizes and thread configu­ rations on most common fas­ teners--nuts, bolts, screws and even lock washers in use to­ day--originated with SAE prior to 1920. Battery standards also date back to the early days of SAE. Little wonder that all self- propelled vehicles--whether they travel on land, sea, air or in space--have many components which have voluntarily com­ plied with SAE standards. Few organizations have had such an impact on transportation and in changing the lifestyle of man­ kind the world over. Appropriately, SAE chose "Freedom Through Mobility" as its motto during its Diamond Jubilee this year. As part of year-long anniversary activi­ ties, SAE's 38,000 individual members in 79 countries are re- dedicating themselves to the MITCHIU. next 25 years of continuing "freedom through mobility" and to freedom through innova­ tive breakthroughs in self-pro- pelled vehicles. Because the/engineering community is a resourceful group, SAE believes that the energy shortage is not going to bring about the collapse of civi­ lization. Answers for energy Every generation has had its problems. It wasn't all that long ago that the disappearance of whale oil was thought to be a disastrous development. SAE remains confident that America will find the alternative fuels and powerplants to help solve rgy problems and generally retain the enormous gains al- energy ready achieved.- In fact, SAE anticipates that past gains will be multiplied in the future. Over the years, this has been both its story and its commitment--to draw from past knowledge in meeting the growing challenges of the fu­ ture head-on. For detailed information about SAE and a free brochure, "Driving Tips To Save Dol­ lars," write Society of Automo­ tive Engineers, Inc., 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warren- dale, PA 15096. Rear-window systems are fast-growing trend proudly present CUTLASS k ve had one built for you! HERE NOW! DELTA 88 V GM QUALITY GM GAS-SAVING MILEAGE OMEGA GM DEPENDABILITY RIVIERA REGAL HERE NOW! ELECTRA & READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY! S€€ TH€MH€H€ HOURS: MON. THRU FRI. 9 TO 9, SAT. 9 TO 5. SUN. 11 TO 4 Sometimes hindsight's as good as--if not, in fact, better than--foresight. How else do explain the fast- rising tide of new equipment designed for the rear-window, which due either to initial luke­ warm acceptance or downright apathy on the part of the car buyer, has long been one of the most neglected visual areas of the modern automobile? As with the windshield, the state of the art in rear-window defrosting/defogging has moved from hot air blowing systems to circuits in the glass. Rear defrosting systems in recent years have achieved an estimated 10 to 15 percent mar­ ket penetration. Payoffs in convenience and safety have brought rear wipers into their own, too. From a rela­ tively obscure debut on one or two car makes several decades ago, rear wiping systems are becoming increasingly promi­ nent features on 1980 auto­ mobiles, according to U.S. au­ tomakers. In fact, major wiper system manufacturers are eyeing the 1980s as the decade of the rear- window wiper, and the trend should be well-established by 1985. Currently, according to ANCO, less than five percent of all new automobiles are equipped with rear wipers, but the pattern should have telling impact on both the original equipment and aftermarket sales. Chrysler Corp., for example, is offering rear window wipers on some of its larger station wagons and hatchbacks in 1980 for the first time. Rear wipers have been offered as factory- installed options on the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon since their introduction several years ago. General Motors reports it, too, is offering rear window wipers on some of its larger models this year. Ford Motor Co. spokesman Robert Harnar says rear wipers have been offered as factory op­ tions for several years on most of ffs three-door and station wagon models. He also sees rear wipers becoming a trend as more models adopt hatchback and wagon design features-- and as people become more safety-conscious. American Motors has offered rear wipers on the Pacer since it was introduced in 1975. Clarence Ditlow, of the Cen­ ter for Auto Safety, says: "The aerodynamic characteristic of wagons and hatchbacks causes road film, dirt and water to build up ongently sloping rear windows. This can cause rear visibility problem. "There are no federal regula­ tions requiring the use of rear wipers; they are still considered mainly a driver convenience." Tim Tierney, director of tech­ nical services for the Auto­ motive Parts and Accessories Association, says that the front and rear wipers are usually operated by separate switches. And both generally are equipped with factory-installed washer systems as well. OLDS "Our Company Is Known by the Promises It Keeps" •, •• * •903 N.'FRONT * McHENW'H.MNOI5* 305*72001 '4 " *v"v c 4Happy' Now Two Years Old By KATIE JACKSON One of America's newest in­ dustry symbols, "Happy Car," was introduced to the American and Canadian public by the Automotive Parts & Ac­ cessories Association (APAA) two years ago. Happy was born as a result of a need to have motorists "think positive about care care," according to Gene Niksich, marketing vice presi­ dent at an Atlanta, Ga., firm and chairman of the APAA committee at the time the Hap­ py Car symbol was created. "A well-maintained -- hap­ py -- car lasts longer, saves fuel, requires fewer and less costly repairs, and is safer," Niksich says. Members of the committee headed by Kiksich prepared a number of slogans. The winner was "Drive a Happy Car" which, of course, suggested the character "Happy." "tfappy," owned by v, APAA, has bse.uused.by mau^ newspapers as the first page of their Car Care sections, in advertising and for article il­ lustrations. He has been seen by millions of motorists and even has appeared on coffee cups. As "Happy's" fame spreads, so has the interest in using him as the symbol of well-maintained vehicles. There is a possibility that he may appear on hundreds of billboards. He may even star in a television series on car care. Niksich says fame is unlikely to give "Happy" a swollen headlight and that his first love -- newspapers -- will remain his main medium. Front-Wheel Drive Saves Tire Rotation Cars with front-wheel drive are the exception to the rule that tires should be rotated, ac­ cording to Tim Tierney, direc­ tor of technical services at the Automotive Parts & Accessor­ ies Association. Normally, tires should be rotated because rear wheels have more to do and heavier loads than front wheels. Cars having front-wheel drive distribute the duties more equitably, among • all fout wheels, eliminating the need 'for tire rotafiori, Tierney said.