Abstract: A strong foam core structural member having an integral skin and a method of forming the foam core structure using conventional tooling, such as a clamshell mold. The method includes injecting a fluid foamable resin reaction mixture under pressure in a mold between a pair of pervious, absorbant, flexible sheets, preferably each including a nonresilient open mesh skrim. The sheets are thus expanded against the mold faces by the foaming reaction mixture, which saturates the sheets and forms a smooth skin integral with the foam core. The pervious sheets permit entrapped gasses to escape, forming a smooth integral skin on the foam core, which substantially improves the strength of the structure. The structure may also be strengthened by adding perforated reinforcement plates and injecting the fluid resin reaction mixture through and around the plates. The reinforcement plates thus become integral with the foam core.

Abstract: A decorative covering material and a process for applying said covering material to vehicle panels such as the roof panel of automobiles to enhance the exterior appearance thereof. The decorative covering material comprises a heat-softenable plastic sheet incorporating a coating of a heat-activatable adhesive over substantially the entire undersurface thereof and which sheet is pretrimmed to a preselected shape and size, and incorporates fastening strips along at least a portion of the terminal edges thereof for securing the decorative material over the panel to prevent movement thereof relative to the panel surface. The decorative covering material is further characterized as embodying, in the inner central area thereof, a contour and wherein the plastic material incorporates a residual memory whereupon a shrinkage of the covering materials occurs during a heating thereof to form a smooth and taut covering layer over the exterior surface of a panel to which it is applied.