the plastics division of rockwell international has worked out a concept whereby the entire body of a pickup $em dash$ hood and fender assembly, doors, box and cab $em dash$ can be made of smc (sheet molded compound) fiberglass, thereby reducing the total weight by some 500 lb (227 kg). this total weight saving is made up as follows: tilt hood-and-fenders assembly, 189 lb (85. 6 kg), doors, 8lb (3. 6 kg), cargo box, about 200 lb (90. 6 kg). the transfer of this technology to the large volume light trucks would require very substantial investments in new equipment and facilities to produce the parts. there are also problems related to the surface finishing of the pickup components. on the other hand, fiberglass components offer several additional advantages. for example, the fiberglass hood, fenders and grille opening panel would be adhesively bonded into one component from six individual plastic pieces. now, a pickup's steel front end is made up of 21 pieces