In the AllPar.com pages, there is an interesting story written by Curtis
Redgap that accounts his family's history with the Chrysler Corp, and gives
some insight to cars of the 1950-60's. This story begins at this link,
http://www.allpar.com/history/inside/
More specifically to this discussion of 1957 models, a specific paragraph
reveals some intersting facts. This link will direct you to the particular
page where info about the steel supplied to the US auto industry can be
found, http://www.allpar.com/history/inside/plymouth-6.shtml
An excerpt from this story:
"Some 20 years later, in the 1970s, it was suspected, and alleged that in a
government effort to aid the economy of Japan in the mid 1950s, steel was
melted down for shipment to the United States. Under a subsidy, this steel
was sold to the largest users, which of course, was the automotive industry.
Purportedly this steel was from the Atom Bombed buildings left in Hiroshima
and Nagasaki. Of course this does raise a deadly radio activity question,
however, conclusive tests showed that remelted iron and steel returns to
normal, since it is a "new" metal. The true issue was that it contained high
levels of iron, which is a notorious oxidizer. As well introduction of
nickel or chromium, into the molten steel, which are good oxidation
resistors, was prevented due to cost considerations!"
Lower quality steel, used industry wide, may explain the typical corrosion
problems of cars of that era. Alfa Romeo had a similar problem in the
1970's. They were supplied with cheap, recycled steel for their Alfa Sud
cars, built in southern Italy. Those cars were notorious for rust.
Eric
'63 Crown Four-Door
'72 Newport Custom Sedan
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