Question about body work
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
Question about body work
I'm currently working on a 74 that I purchased last September. The right front fender had a piece broken out of it. The previous owner did save the piece. I fiberglassed it back in on both sides using the fiberglass cloth and resin. I also used milled fiberglass on top of that to level it. I had to use a very thin coat of bondo to fill in air bubbles etc. My question is...do you think this will crack? Should I just go ahead and replace the fender?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,321
Likes: 4,429
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi HT,
It looks good in your pictures.
Did you use 'cloth' or 'mat'. Cloth has a distinct weave pattern in it that often shows through the repair as time goes by. Mat has the glass strands in random pattern (no pattern).
Regards,
Alan
It looks good in your pictures.
Did you use 'cloth' or 'mat'. Cloth has a distinct weave pattern in it that often shows through the repair as time goes by. Mat has the glass strands in random pattern (no pattern).
Regards,
Alan
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 427
Likes: 1
Looks like a great repair. Good idea to patch both sides. That bonding strip is very important and you can work that in with good prep and enough beveling on the lap joint(s) horizontal and vertical to a great repair.
Mat cloth works the best with just the right amount of hardner to make it 'kick over' and allow the resin to soak into everything. I sand blast the back sides to prep for reinforcing application using mat cloth.
Did you use a high build primer to level it out?
Mat cloth works the best with just the right amount of hardner to make it 'kick over' and allow the resin to soak into everything. I sand blast the back sides to prep for reinforcing application using mat cloth.
Did you use a high build primer to level it out?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,200
Likes: 3
From: Lehigh county Pennsylvania
The key to a good patch is the beveling of the joint. The more surface area, both inside and out, the better. As far as bondo goes, there's almost no getting around using some on the compound curves over that fender arch.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 4
From: Concord Calif
How well this repair will last depends on what you used, meaning Polyester or Epoxy resin, and did you use the proper one for what your car is. Early C3's were FRP and later SMC. I believe you are at the change over time to SMC and Polyester resin will not last at all with that.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
How well this repair will last depends on what you used, meaning Polyester or Epoxy resin, and did you use the proper one for what your car is. Early C3's were FRP and later SMC. I believe you are at the change over time to SMC and Polyester resin will not last at all with that.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 780
Likes: 1
From: Shelby NC
Only danger that might come up is the part about air bubbles etc, you mentioned. Any space between bottom of filler and top of glass that is there and not filled can raise up over time. Just putting a swipe of filler using a spreader can leave a gap. Air bubbles need to be sanded out as in rounded edges or ground if they are large ones. Filler tops them and the area looks great but they can rise up like blisters over time if there are any hidden gaps.
Newer style solvents/activators are high powered stuff and penetrate deep and that adds to the issues. Quality materials are a must--don't cut corners on them.
Good luck--nothing like DYO and looking at the finished product.
Newer style solvents/activators are high powered stuff and penetrate deep and that adds to the issues. Quality materials are a must--don't cut corners on them.
Good luck--nothing like DYO and looking at the finished product.