Wilcox header bar repair method
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 101
Unfortunately, once you drill them from the top you'll always see them. I made the boast one time that if I could find a body man that could hide a hole when displayed under florescent lights in a Corvette Hood, Top surround panel or rear deck, I'd pay him 100k a year.... That was 20 years ago and I've still not found one that can do it.
What happens; the repair will look fine at first then it will shrink. The reason it shrinks is that filler material continues to dry after painting. To compound the issue is the fact that the expansion and contraction ratio of the filler material will be different from that of the original press molded fiberglass.
It's not a good spot to be in, because anyone that try's to repair this will have success for a while, then the car will get hot, it'll get cold and then the spots will show again. Light colored cars tend to do better than the darker color cars because light colors hide stuff...
Good luck on fixing this.
Willcox
What happens; the repair will look fine at first then it will shrink. The reason it shrinks is that filler material continues to dry after painting. To compound the issue is the fact that the expansion and contraction ratio of the filler material will be different from that of the original press molded fiberglass.
It's not a good spot to be in, because anyone that try's to repair this will have success for a while, then the car will get hot, it'll get cold and then the spots will show again. Light colored cars tend to do better than the darker color cars because light colors hide stuff...
Good luck on fixing this.
Willcox
So how to permanently fix it? Get a replacement headlight surround panel, or piece in some prefabbed flat fiberglass patch panels.
Strange this seems to only be a problem with filling holes. Missing broken out body sections repaired/replaced with mat seem to not have this problem.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 101
Not doubting what you are saying because I have seen this problem first hand with rack holes.
So how to permanently fix it? Get a replacement headlight surround panel, or piece in some prefabbed flat fiberglass patch panels.
Strange this seems to only be a problem with filling holes. Missing broken out body sections repaired/replaced with mat seem to not have this problem.
So how to permanently fix it? Get a replacement headlight surround panel, or piece in some prefabbed flat fiberglass patch panels.
Strange this seems to only be a problem with filling holes. Missing broken out body sections repaired/replaced with mat seem to not have this problem.
Interesting side note. I was watching the show Fantom Works on Velocity. To fix this problem they cut a section of the headlight surround area out, removed the rivets and put it back in. Repair seams midway to the nose tip and right and left of the headlight openings. Good idea for you here maybe.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,381
Likes: 416
From: N J
I spoke with the body shop who painted the car body off the frame and he told me the prior owner drilled out those aluminum rivets from the top which is a no no. That shop told me the prior owner filled the holes with fiberglass mat/kitty hair. When the body arrived at the shop they ground out all the glass the PO put in and the shop filled the holes with lord fusor. This car was painted 8 years ago.
Yesterday I took the car to C4 Hot Rods, a well respected and qualified car builder to assess the issue. There are 9 little bumps showing up. If you run your finger across the bump you really cannot feel it. They advise since the car was painted 8 years ago it will not get any worse or better ,they suggested to leave it and enjoy the car as is since the paint is so beautiful.
They did say however if I really want it fixed they feel that the bumps can be sanded out and then reclear the front end without having to get into the basecoat.
Even though it's 9 little bumps which is not a huge deal since the overall appearance of the car is so gorgous, I'll have it fixed in November.
Yesterday I took the car to C4 Hot Rods, a well respected and qualified car builder to assess the issue. There are 9 little bumps showing up. If you run your finger across the bump you really cannot feel it. They advise since the car was painted 8 years ago it will not get any worse or better ,they suggested to leave it and enjoy the car as is since the paint is so beautiful.
They did say however if I really want it fixed they feel that the bumps can be sanded out and then reclear the front end without having to get into the basecoat.
Even though it's 9 little bumps which is not a huge deal since the overall appearance of the car is so gorgous, I'll have it fixed in November.
It's unfortunate that when the first shop got just the body with having all that access to the support, they didn't remove and re-glue it back on.
If the rivets were already removed, I question its strength. I dont know if just squirting some glue in the rivet holes gives it enough support????
At this point, if they wont remove the support and refasten it with a healthy bead of L-F, I would continue to get other opinions from other shops.
I just dont think sanding down the bumps is the correct fix.
Good luck with this.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 539
Likes: 138
From: Littleton Colorado
2023 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
Thanks for getting back.
It's unfortunate that when the first shop got just the body with having all that access to the support, they didn't remove and re-glue it back on.
If the rivets were already removed, I question its strength. I dont know if just squirting some glue in the rivet holes gives it enough support????
At this point, if they wont remove the support and refasten it with a healthy bead of L-F, I would continue to get other opinions from other shops.
I just dont think sanding down the bumps is the correct fix.
Good luck with this.
It's unfortunate that when the first shop got just the body with having all that access to the support, they didn't remove and re-glue it back on.
If the rivets were already removed, I question its strength. I dont know if just squirting some glue in the rivet holes gives it enough support????
At this point, if they wont remove the support and refasten it with a healthy bead of L-F, I would continue to get other opinions from other shops.
I just dont think sanding down the bumps is the correct fix.
Good luck with this.
The header bar was replaced by the PO who built the car. The problem was he drilled the rivets out from the top, not the bottom. That's why the little bumps are showing up. He glassed over the holes and when the body got to the shop they said wait, we need to grind all that glass out and they filled the holes with Fusor.
The bar was glued back in when he replaced the vacuum actuated head lights with electric.
Everyone who has seen the car said, leave it. The paint and body work (except for the 9 minor bumps) is phenominal. I'm still on the fence of which direction I should go.
I love everything about this car...the build is outstanding. Powerful engine that runs excellent, nitrous works, killer interior, elaborate susp, paint body, hard top, soft top, trans...you get the idea. I could not have this car built for the 45k I paid for it. I think its worth 55 the way it sits. So I'm more than happy with the car as there are very few high quality resto rods for sale. I had it out today and people are taking pictures, videos and stopping at the gas station takes 30 minutes....LOL....It's a keeper
Last edited by Prostreeter1; Sep 23, 2017 at 07:57 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Thanks for getting back.
It's unfortunate that when the first shop got just the body with having all that access to the support, they didn't remove and re-glue it back on.
If the rivets were already removed, I question its strength. I dont know if just squirting some glue in the rivet holes gives it enough support????
At this point, if they wont remove the support and refasten it with a healthy bead of L-F, I would continue to get other opinions from other shops.
I just dont think sanding down the bumps is the correct fix.
Good luck with this.
It's unfortunate that when the first shop got just the body with having all that access to the support, they didn't remove and re-glue it back on.
If the rivets were already removed, I question its strength. I dont know if just squirting some glue in the rivet holes gives it enough support????
At this point, if they wont remove the support and refasten it with a healthy bead of L-F, I would continue to get other opinions from other shops.
I just dont think sanding down the bumps is the correct fix.
Good luck with this.
How strong is it as it sits... I'd say pretty strong, but the holes will not go away regardless of what you put in there as a filler.
IMHO,
Willcox
