Body specialists welcome!!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Point Pleasant NJ
Body specialists welcome!!!
As you can see from my signiture pic, i am in some desperate need of some body work
(primer, a little bit of body filling, smoothing). Now i would love to at least try to do this on my own. I am pretty good with sanding, have some time, and i have been practicing with my fiberglass work. My question is for the little imperfections, can i use a small amount of bondo??.. or should i use a little resin.. gorilla hair mix?? The po had sanded down the rear deck to the point where i can see fiberglass hairs...
pardon my ignorance, but some people have told me i need to apply a gel coat???... or can i simply prime over the bare glass??
Sorry if these are stupid questions... but you guys have been great with everything i have asked to far!!!
THANKS GUYS!
(primer, a little bit of body filling, smoothing). Now i would love to at least try to do this on my own. I am pretty good with sanding, have some time, and i have been practicing with my fiberglass work. My question is for the little imperfections, can i use a small amount of bondo??.. or should i use a little resin.. gorilla hair mix?? The po had sanded down the rear deck to the point where i can see fiberglass hairs... pardon my ignorance, but some people have told me i need to apply a gel coat???... or can i simply prime over the bare glass??
Sorry if these are stupid questions... but you guys have been great with everything i have asked to far!!!
THANKS GUYS!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
I can only give you advice based on my own experience. First let me say that everything that follows is based on a black clearcoated lacquer car which shows imperfections that normally would go unnoticed so take what I say in that context. I have never had much luck with body filler. It cannot be used to repair cracking because it lacks the strength and in many cases shrinkage occurs which will eventually show through the topcoat. I would recommend doing all repairs using epoxy resin and fiberglass mat and only use body filler for pinhole imperfections or cosmetic imperfections. I just finished repairing a crack just forward of the headlight and a few minor cracks in my fiberglass front bumper. The amount of body filler currently on the car after I finished sanding wouldn't fill half of a sewing thimble. It's harder to make something right using only resin and glass but the long term results are more than worth it.Again, this is just my experience on my car with lacquer paint. Your mileage may vary. 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: Point Pleasant NJ
i was pretty much planning on using gorilla hair, i think it was called. It is fiberglass hairs and resin, as for filling the wholes that were drilled to intall a wing
.. i was going to use fiberglass matt and reson. i just wanted to see what everyone's opinions wereon body filler and such. Thanks for the quick reply!
-John
.. i was going to use fiberglass matt and reson. i just wanted to see what everyone's opinions wereon body filler and such. Thanks for the quick reply! -John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Most fiber filled body fillers will not be good in the long run.
Cut your own fibers up and mix with polyester resin ... it really
isn't much different than bondo-hair to mix and work. OK - not as thick,
but I've been able to learn as I go and it isn't bad to do.
If using filler anywhere - use the vette panel type !! Evercoat:
Cut your own fibers up and mix with polyester resin ... it really
isn't much different than bondo-hair to mix and work. OK - not as thick,
but I've been able to learn as I go and it isn't bad to do.
If using filler anywhere - use the vette panel type !! Evercoat:
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
From: Oreland PA
Originally Posted by lil75vette
i was pretty much planning on using gorilla hair, i think it was called. It is fiberglass hairs and resin, as for filling the wholes that were drilled to intall a wing .. i was going to use fiberglass matt and reson. i just wanted to see what everyone's opinions wereon body filler and such. Thanks for the quick reply!
-John
.. i was going to use fiberglass matt and reson. i just wanted to see what everyone's opinions wereon body filler and such. Thanks for the quick reply! -John
I have used this for years and it works well.
I use the tiger hair to fill the hole and then coat with marglass.
This is a finer fiberglass filler.
Once I get this repair 95% finished I then fill the pinholes and sand scratches with Evercoat which is a finishing plastic.
I then use a catalyzed primer.
On mine I used Sherwin Williams flexible primer and it worked great and was easy to sand.
Make sure when you grind the hole to fill them you countersink them so there is not a sharp edge around the tiger hair. THis will keep them from coming back.
Good Luck!
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