Prepping flared quarter panel
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
Prepping flared quarter panel
Greetings. This is for my '77 C3. I am in the process of replacing the rear quarter panels with hand-laid flared ones. Here are two issues I'm facing and the plans I have to address them.
#1. The new panel is thicker than the original one.
Plan:
- grind down the backside portion of the new panel that is glued to the bonding strip, to make it flush with the rear clip.
- after gluing with Evercoat SMC Panel Adhesive, add a layer of that adhesive on top of the bonding strip and new panel to strengthen the grinded area. (see picture)
#2. The new panel does not have the rear 'flange'.
Plan to maximize strength and minimize future ghost line:
- cut off the rear 1" of the old panel, after stripping it to raw fiberglass.
- cut off the rear 1" of the new panel.
- graft the old 1" piece with the flange to the new panel:
- taper the two pieces on the back side, glass them together, VPA them (i.e. the usual stuff)
- taper the two pieces on the front side, glass them, VPA them
Do these sound like good plans?
Bonus question:
I'd like the inner side of the panels to be smooth. Same for the hand laid high rise hood that I got. Because they're hand laid they're not smooth. What material would you apply to make them smooth? VPA maybe?
Thanks!
#1. The new panel is thicker than the original one.
Plan:
- grind down the backside portion of the new panel that is glued to the bonding strip, to make it flush with the rear clip.
- after gluing with Evercoat SMC Panel Adhesive, add a layer of that adhesive on top of the bonding strip and new panel to strengthen the grinded area. (see picture)
#2. The new panel does not have the rear 'flange'.
Plan to maximize strength and minimize future ghost line:
- cut off the rear 1" of the old panel, after stripping it to raw fiberglass.
- cut off the rear 1" of the new panel.
- graft the old 1" piece with the flange to the new panel:
- taper the two pieces on the back side, glass them together, VPA them (i.e. the usual stuff)
- taper the two pieces on the front side, glass them, VPA them
Do these sound like good plans?
Bonus question:
I'd like the inner side of the panels to be smooth. Same for the hand laid high rise hood that I got. Because they're hand laid they're not smooth. What material would you apply to make them smooth? VPA maybe?
Thanks!
Last edited by RBrid; Mar 12, 2017 at 04:42 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
Greetings. This is for my '77 C3. I am in the process of replacing the rear quarter panels with hand-laid flared ones. Here are two issues I'm facing and the plans I have to address them.
#1. The new panel is thicker than the original one.
Plan:
- grind down the backside portion of the new panel that is glued to the bonding strip, to make it flush with the rear clip.
- after gluing with Evercoat SMC Panel Adhesive, add a layer of that adhesive on top of the bonding strip and new panel to strengthen the ground area.
You are CORRECT in using the SMC panel adhesive to bond your new panel on. AS for filling in the seam...you could use the same SMC panel adhesive but it has to go on thick so it will cure. Personally ..I use the Vette Panel Adhesive in the seams and have never had an issue. That is up to you.
#2. The new panel does not have the rear 'flange'.
Plan to maximize strength and minimize future ghost line:
- cut off the rear 1" of the old panel, after stripping it to raw fiberglass.
- cut off the rear 1" of the new panel.
- graft the old 1" piece with the flange to the new panel:
- taper the two pieces on the back side, glass them together, VPA them (i.e. the usual stuff)
- taper the two pieces on the front side, glass them, VPA them
Do these sound like good plans?
I would either:
1.) Cut the flange off the original quarter and cut more than 1 inch. I would cut at least 2 inches if not more...even if I had to cut it so it could go around the side marker light area. I would prep the panel and bond them in with the SMC panel adhesive. Prepping the aftermarket quarter can be a bit tricky in order to get the flange to fit best as possible...AND YET...making sure the integrity of the flange is still strong and has not been weakened by excessive grinding.
2.) I would mask off the new quarter and laminate in mat and resin and make my own new flange.
Bonus question:
I'd like the inner side of the panels to be smooth. Same for the hand laid high rise hood that I got. Because they're hand laid they're not smooth. What material would you apply to make them smooth? VPA maybe?
Thanks!
#1. The new panel is thicker than the original one.
Plan:
- grind down the backside portion of the new panel that is glued to the bonding strip, to make it flush with the rear clip.
- after gluing with Evercoat SMC Panel Adhesive, add a layer of that adhesive on top of the bonding strip and new panel to strengthen the ground area.
You are CORRECT in using the SMC panel adhesive to bond your new panel on. AS for filling in the seam...you could use the same SMC panel adhesive but it has to go on thick so it will cure. Personally ..I use the Vette Panel Adhesive in the seams and have never had an issue. That is up to you.
#2. The new panel does not have the rear 'flange'.
Plan to maximize strength and minimize future ghost line:
- cut off the rear 1" of the old panel, after stripping it to raw fiberglass.
- cut off the rear 1" of the new panel.
- graft the old 1" piece with the flange to the new panel:
- taper the two pieces on the back side, glass them together, VPA them (i.e. the usual stuff)
- taper the two pieces on the front side, glass them, VPA them
Do these sound like good plans?
I would either:
1.) Cut the flange off the original quarter and cut more than 1 inch. I would cut at least 2 inches if not more...even if I had to cut it so it could go around the side marker light area. I would prep the panel and bond them in with the SMC panel adhesive. Prepping the aftermarket quarter can be a bit tricky in order to get the flange to fit best as possible...AND YET...making sure the integrity of the flange is still strong and has not been weakened by excessive grinding.
2.) I would mask off the new quarter and laminate in mat and resin and make my own new flange.
Bonus question:
I'd like the inner side of the panels to be smooth. Same for the hand laid high rise hood that I got. Because they're hand laid they're not smooth. What material would you apply to make them smooth? VPA maybe?
Thanks!
DUB
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
Thanks for the input DUB!
Regarding the seams: Yes, I'll use VPA for sure. It's the purple part in my original picture.
Regarding the flange: I'm leaning toward option 2 then. I suppose you mean something like the picture below.
Regarding smoothing things out: great. That's what I had in mind. I want it to look good and to be cleanable easily.
Regarding the seams: Yes, I'll use VPA for sure. It's the purple part in my original picture.
Regarding the flange: I'm leaning toward option 2 then. I suppose you mean something like the picture below.
Regarding smoothing things out: great. That's what I had in mind. I want it to look good and to be cleanable easily.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
YES. Also...not 'saying' that you would not do so...BUT...keep in mind how you laminate this to create the flange. That 90 degree bend is going to be a bit of fun to get laid correctly. So...take your time and possibly 'filet' your mat to make it less 'starchy' so it can easily bend. Kinda like how you can easily bend veneer...but not a 1/2" thick piece of plywood. But you could stack up numerous sheets of veneer and make it be 1/2" thick and bent or curved when done....if that makes sense.
DUB
DUB
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
The work
Alright, here we are many weeks later, and the flanges are finally done. Here are some pictures of the process I went through. I'll make a second post with pictures of the results.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
The result
The final flanges look strong to me. I added VPA on the interior sides to make them flat and add strength. They ended up being about 1/4" to 5/16" thick. Looks good?
Some VPA will be added on the exterior sides to make them flush with the rear bumper flange, after the quarter panels have been glued in place. Gluing them in place is my next step, with SMC Panel Adhesive.
Thanks.
Some VPA will be added on the exterior sides to make them flush with the rear bumper flange, after the quarter panels have been glued in place. Gluing them in place is my next step, with SMC Panel Adhesive.
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
ABSOLUTELY NOT ONE PROBLEM I can see in what you did. QUITE AWESOME work.
And YES...I feel that your new flanges are NEVER going to fail you due to their construction!
SUPERB!!!!!!!
DUB
And YES...I feel that your new flanges are NEVER going to fail you due to their construction!
SUPERB!!!!!!!
DUB
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 389
From: Woodinville WA
On to the next challenge...
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
Job well done!!!...but ...you do know that you can apply more than just one layer at a time once you get a solid foundation to apply pressure on.
I know that you can do what you are comfortable with....I am just saying that going up to 3 layers is about as far as I take it due to the heat being built up while it is curing. May save a tab bit if time.
You still did a remarkable job !!!
DUB
I know that you can do what you are comfortable with....I am just saying that going up to 3 layers is about as far as I take it due to the heat being built up while it is curing. May save a tab bit if time.
You still did a remarkable job !!!
DUB