The reason DMC went with the VIRM process was because the ERM had not yet been tested in an automotive application for crash testing. VIRM by Lotus on the other hand had. Another thing was the chassis. The double Y design for the Esprit gave the car more ridgedness in the center section (I beleive Lotus was also the entity that reccomended this, but I can't remember why). So this too was adapted for the DeLorean design. After these 2 major items were swtich over to Lotus, the suspension, interior and other items followed with a snowball effect. On a related subject, the licence plate bezel on the back of the car is made utilizing the ERM process. On my car the ERM is kind of brittle and flaking. Plus it has already cracked from one of the scews that hold it in place. Maybe there would have been another process to it for the underbody, I don't know. But I do feel a bit safer with the VIRM. "Hindsight is 20/20" is an old saying. If any one statement could sum up DeLorean Motor Company, this would be it. Without ERM DMC may never have had a unique enough concept to pitch to investors. But without VIRM who knows if the DMC-12 could have passed crash testing, or may have had production problems. In either case what JZD, DMC, or anyone else could have done will always be debatable. IMO, CTC should have licenced out the ERM process to other companies and taken a percentage. That along with decreased spending on the DMC-80 and Logan Mfg, this could have generated enough captiol to keep the company afloat. Or better yet maybe even develop DMC's own credit corporation to finance customer vehicle purchases and leases (the asset holdings alone for vehicles would have made the company profile wealthier). But like with everything else, who knows... -Robert vin 6585 --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "CBL302" <CBL302@xxxx> wrote: > > : "Chris Parnham" <chrisparnham@xxxx> Wrote: <SNIP> Stuck with his original plans with the ERM process(Elastic Reservoir Molding)Developed by Composite Technology Corporation(another Delorean Company),NOW that would have been a major breakthru in Frame/body design/engineering. <SNIP> > Claude > 000570