cbernhardt

I am fabricating some new (wider) rear fender panels for my '59 project. Previously I have made molds for larger fiberglass parts from hand laid fiberglass. Is there any other material that anyone has used successfully to make molds for larger fiberglass parts, perhaps something that could be sprayed on? I guess a "chopper" gun would work, but I don't have access to one of those.
Charles

John McGraw

Charles,

A chopper gun would be the way to go. Maybe you can find a local fiberglass shop to shoot your molds for you. I would gelcoat and lay 2 layers of mat before starting with the chopper gun. Installing the reinforcements is so much easier when You can use a chopper gun to just spray around the reinforcements. I had a local bathtub maker build up the backside of one of my molds a few years ago.

Have you seen the off-the-shelf wide fenders for the C1? they look pretty good, and will let you run 315 tires with no problem. Billy usually keeps at least one set in stock. Every time I have been up in his parts room, there is always a set there.

Regards, John McGraw

Loren Smith

I think GTS Customs makes the wide fenders:

http://www.retrovette.com/

Click on garage pass, then rear quarter panels, then click on the picture. I think they sell them separate, and I thing I saw them sell a set on ebay once.

cbernhardt

John:

I thought about the chopper gun idea, but I don't know of anyone close by that has one.

I have seen some pictures of one of the "off-the-shelf" wide fenders for the C1 but I'm not sure who makes them. The ones that Paul Newman sells are about 1.5" wide. They may be the same ones Billy has. I am making mine about 2.5" wide and also making the lower part of the fenders a little wider so that they will cover the tires a little better. Also eliminating the fuel filler door.

Thanks,
Charles

midnight1957

Charles, there is a guy near me that sprays fiberglass for the Gibbons bodies, he makes the 34 coupes and also sprays the tops for Mack truck for the cabs that they cut off to haul automobiles that go over the top of the hauler cab. I had him to spray a couple of things for me and they turned out great.
I see you are in NC and not really far from me, I am near Coplumbis, SC.
If you are interested just call me and I will give you the details. (803) 438-2532.
Thanks,
Wade

cbernhardt

Wade:

Thanks for the help. I'll keep your number in case I cannot find something closer.

When you say that you had him "spray a couple of things" for you are you talking about molds for fiberglass parts or the parts themselves? Just curious as to what the cost would be for someone to make the molds and/or the fenders.

Charles

midnight1957

Charles, John McGraw was gracious enough to let me borrow the mold that he had made for the new gage housing he had made for his 59. After my friend made the piece for he from John's mold, I took him my original speedometer housing to him and he made a mold from it then made the speedometer housing for me.
Thanks,
Wade

Loren Smith

Here's a current ebay listing for the fenders:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GTS-C...09406107QQrdZ1

cbernhardt

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately these are only 1.5" wider than stock and I have already started fabricating mine to be 2.5".

The ones made by Retrovette are about 3" wide, but I emailed them a few weeks ago and never heard back.

Charles

Pop Chevy

Thank You very much for the link ! I just put a bid in on the mid year ones ! I am ready to bond the stock 1/4s on right now, was going to do it yesterday but couldn't get to it. Now I will wait and see.
Thanks, Pops

Vipermike

Talk to Tim Ross at Rimcraft in Thomasville. He builds commercial chopper gun systems and might be willing to spray your mold when testing one of his guns. If he doesn't currently have one set up he can probably refer you to one of his customers that might spray it for you. If you talk to him tell him "Mike the race guy" told you to call him.

Loren Smith

Retrovette is GTS Customs?

Zo62

The fiberglass mold would be the best way to go, but since you asked for alternatives there are several ways you could go.

You could hand lay a mold without a gun.

You can also do a gypsum mold, basically hand lays with a similar technique to fiberglass, but is much less expensive for the materials. this mold would be heavy and definitely for a limited use intent.

A company called polytech sells all types of mold making supplies, and has a good online catalogue. You could do a sprayed rubber mold with a gypsum mother mold and get a very good result. This would actually be more work than the glass mold, but you can spray rubber with a cheap cup gun and then hand lay the back up mold out of gyp.

I used to own a mold making company that supplied molds for pre-cast concrete, very similar type process for making molds.

cbernhardt

Don't know, but the ones listed on ebay are sold by GTSCustoms.com and their website says they are are 1.5" wide . Retrovette (retrovette.com) lists 3" wide fenders. At this point it doesn't matter to me as I have already started making the fenders. I decided to mock them up on the old fenders using foam and body filler then lay the glass directly on top of mock up. Initially they won't be as smooth as ones produced from molds, but this is a one shot production. Below is a picture of the mock up.

vipermike:
Thanks for the info on the guy in T'ville.
Charles

dfolse62

After a few layers of hand laid, you can reinforce with wood blocks such as balsa. (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) These sheets can be bought at fiberglass suppliers. We have also used AB foam very successfully. (This won't print through) Shrinkage during curing will make all items used for support print to the mold surface. Say if plywood is mounted perpendicular to the surface for support, place corrugated cardboard between the hard surface and the mold before lay up. This gives a "crush" layer. All of this is for fast build up and of the mold. You should determine how much the mold will be used before making it bullet proof. Remember wax, wax, wax, wax!!!!!! If you don't need a super slick finish directly out of the mold, use a water based mold release agent. Nothing worse than a mold stuck to an original!!!!