Can epoxy putty be used to fasten a metal bracket to fiberglass to avoid drilling of holes? I need to attach 2 metal mounting brackets to the fiberglass area behind the front left and right grilles of my 68 and I would like to avoid drilling holes through the lower body valance. The original brackets broke off and I have replacement brackets but no way to attach them to the fiberglass body. Would the epoxy putty work for this? Any suggestions? Thank you,
Kurt

 

I know for a fact that 3M makes an epoxy for body repair work that may be available at a body supply near you. A body man friend of mine says that the OEM's have started to use a similar material for their body assembly in some applications. He told me he used it in a repair recently at his shop to bond two metal panels together, the car came back to the shop because it had been wrecked again (unrelated to his initial repair) and the metal tore away from the bonded area while the bond itself remained intact. We used it to re-glue the studs into the base of his spoiler for his '69 Z-28.

The downsides of this stuff:

It's expensive. I think on the order of $50 a tube.

The dispenser is also expensive as it is a squeeze applicator that mixes the two components as it is squeezed out. I think cheaper knock-offs are available that are not made by 3M. He "borrowed" the stuff from work.

It cures really fast. We only had a couple of minutes before the studs were bonded fast and the stuff turned rock hard. (probably not a issue for your bracket attachment).

Don't know what to tell you for cheaper more comonly available epoxies. JB Weld? I've had mixed results (no pun intended ) using other store bought epoxies-some good some bad. Haven't tried JB Weld yet.

 

Yep....Thats how the upper headlight surround is attached to newer sharks. Its by 3M: Superfast eurathane. Part # 08609.
Bonds like crazy.

 

Thanks gentlemen for the info. I will try to find this product you recommended. Just received my 68 back from the paint shop and am desperately trying to finish this 10 (long) year restoration project. Paint is code 976 LeMans blue.
Thanks again,
Kurt

 

I have used Fiber Tech by Evercoat to bond metal brackets to the fiberglass in the interior and to bond 2 fiberglass panels together under the body. Check with your local auto paint store. That is where I got mine from. They have a web site which lists their products and applications.

 

Actually just about any epoxy that takes awhile to cure is strong enough. Its the filler that makes the difference between a bonder and a filler or fairing paste.
The surface area being bonded VS the stress its supposed to take.
What other special items used such as fillets on the joint.

Anyway check out a hardware or boat store.
Marine tex is one and its this one or some other name comes in small tubes.

The important thing is the surface should be rough for a good mechanical grip and you definately don't want paint to be between, otherwise its the paint that is doing the holding.

There are other adhesives in the boat store too but they generaly are on the flexible side. Slightly flexible to quite flexible. Some can be removed and some can't.

 

#08609 is 3M's Window-Weld™ Super Fast Urethane

 

Do you remember what it was called? 3M has several different epoxy products.

 

3M #8115 body panel adhesive. They are bonding steel panels with the stuff, works very well. It comes in a double cartridge for a special applicator gun, but there's no reason you can't hand mix it by squeezing out equal lengths of each cartridge using a dowel or something.

 

if you bond it with marine tex be sure it is in the right place, that stuff does not come off and it holds very well.