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rvzio - thanks for the pics, having another donor to pull molds off would be a treat. Nice work on the wheelwell!
I spent too much time trying the curved mold as DUB suggested, but wasn't pleased with the results, so I went the easy way.
I used pieces of the angle stock I created earlier, and cobbled together the flanges for the exhaust panel and bezels. Not pretty, but very functional.
With the rear end fiberglass repairs wrapped up, I am going to turn my attention to the front end.
But first... a question for the gurus. The basic question has been asked/answered many times on this forum, but here is a twist.
Is there a SINGLE adhesive that can bond the following:
1 - old press-molded fiberglass to itself
2 - old press-molded fiberglass to SMC
3 - SMC to SMC
4 - old press-molded fiberglass to metal
5 - SMC to metal
I have all 5 areas listed above to bond, and I would like to minimize the number of adhesives/applicators to purchase.
Your going to get a number of adhesives to use. The pro's will have you probably get a different product for each thing. They are in business to run and a customer to please. I used Lord Fusor for everything that needed adhesive attention and once cured it's a bear to bust. Clean everything well and go for it.
Well that won't work for this area then, because the edge of the bond is in the door jamb area and is very visible. And it's an SMC rear quarter panel bonded to the original fiberglass. Whatever the PO used didn't work very well.
I guess I am missing why that won't work on that type of repair. The Fusor is applied to all contact points and set. Any excess from any oozing is removed. A thin coat of VPA over the exposed seam and your done.
Of course the needed prep work also. I would not suggest screws with holes to fasten the work rather clamps and a long flat piece to spread the clamp force.
Just sayin!
I guess I am missing why that won't work on that type of repair. The Fusor is applied to all contact points and set. Any excess from any oozing is removed. A thin coat of VPA over the exposed seam and your done.
Of course the needed prep work also. I would not suggest screws with holes to fasten the work rather clamps and a long flat piece to spread the clamp force.
Just sayin!
RVZIO
100%.
Grinding into the seam a little bit like Roger mentioned and applying VPA is what i do. All you want is a good barrier. And I cannot think of any better barrier than VPA.
The Lord Fusor T21 has a 45 minute working time and requires bare metal to be primed.
Will SPI Epoxy Primer be OK?
The SEM 39474 has a 90 minute working time and can be applied to bare metal.
The prices are similar.
Any other differences I should consider?
Thanks,
Dan
Dan,
The SEM product is epoxy based. So as long as the bare metal is complexity covered with it...the metal cannot rust. Call SEM and talk with the tech guys. I do quite often and they are great. That way you get it directly from them on how the surfaces must be prepped.
I can not confirm if the SPI epoxy will work. I do not use that primer so I have never needed to call about it. Call FUSOR tech line and ask them of you are concerned. I would be concerned about excessive film thickness so the FUSOR does not shear way from a thick coat of SPI epoxy. Never used it so I do not know if that applies...but from what I have read. The SPI primer seems to fill and build where it can be sanded. Which is what is raising my concern. I use an epoxy primer that do not have excessive build and I can watch how much I am applying IF I need to use the FUSOR on steel.
The reason I always prefer to talk to a person in the tech department versus reading stuff off of their site is because I often times have questions that the written text may not answer. A person should never assume that what they are doing is actually what is needed to make sure maximum adhesion is taking place.
A deep harsh scratch from grinding may be needed....and then again...they may only want you to scuff it. It does make a difference. because the chemists and engineers tested their products and how can a person think that what they are doing is actually different than how ti should be done....that their way is actually better than what teh engineers have found and tested to be the best.
Had a nice chat this afternoon with Melissa on the Lord Corp Customer Service Center line.
She confirmed that the T21 would work for all the bonding situations I will have to deal with.
The SPI Epoxy Primer is a suitable primer for the bare metal bonding to fiberglass. NO etching primer.
She also gave me the part number for extra nozzles and some suggestions on how to handle the product.
I was hesitant, as an end user, to call and ask basic questions, but Melissa took the time to answer all my questions and I never felt like I was being talked down to.
DUB always recommends calling the tech guys...I'm a believer now!
Had a nice chat this afternoon with Melissa on the Lord Corp Customer Service Center line.
She confirmed that the T21 would work for all the bonding situations I will have to deal with.
The SPI Epoxy Primer is a suitable primer for the bare metal bonding to fiberglass. NO etching primer.
She also gave me the part number for extra nozzles and some suggestions on how to handle the product.
I was hesitant, as an end user, to call and ask basic questions, but Melissa took the time to answer all my questions and I never felt like I was being talked down to.
DUB always recommends calling the tech guys...I'm a believer now!
DUB always recommends calling the tech guys...I'm a believer now!
Dan
I am glad that you along with people like Roger and possibly others who actually stop and consider calling the tech line. Then actually call them and talk with them.
Why do I recommend that people do this??? Because..I have used several products over 3 decades that were reformulated...and IF I did not call and ask about the new packaging or new formula...I would have used it in the way I knew how to use the old formula...which changed in the new design....in some cases. SO...I ALWAYS call. I ASSUME NOTHING. Because just in case something has changed and it has not been put out there in the mainstream knowledge freeway.
******ONE OF MY REAL WORLD EXPERIENCES******
A Long time ago...when I was doing a lot of custom paint work. I used a specific Catalyzed clear that made my job go easier. I had it mastered. and it was a working perfectly and I could apply it and the next day or two...sand it and apply it again and stack the clear while doing custom graphics and such.
Well...One day....I painted a job I was working on and let it cure for 1-2 days like I always do and came back in and sanded it to go in and apply more of my graphics and do some airbrushing. When I went to clear over that work to seal it down and protect it. The clear I was applying caused the clear under it to wrinkle up like crazy.
RUINED all of my previous work and I had to start all over again on about HALF of the job due to the reaction did not happen right away...it took about 2-3 minutes to start and then it went crazy.
I called the area rep for this BIG named paint manufacturer and he told me they changed the formula BUT yet the can did not show anything about this 'new' formula. Yeah..They paid for the repairs..but that is beside the point.
And do not ask who the paint manufacture was...it was so long ago....I am not trying to depth charge their name.
I decided to hold off on installing the headlight reinforcement bar until I had a handle on the right front repairs, as the bar is right next to an area that needs repair. More on that later.
I haven't put the body back on the chassis yet, because I needed room to work on the front corners. Once I get the corners repaired, I'll attach the reinforcement bar and then put the body on the chassis for fender, hood and door alignment and repairs.
I started with the left front as it was mostly intact with just holes and missing pieces.
I ground out all the old repair materials and started laminating inside and out.
The forward lower fender piece was replaced at some point, so I also ground out the the butt seam in the top of the wheel well and have laminated 2 layers of mat on it inside and out, while also rebuilding the fender lip. I will put 2 layers of fiberglass cloth in the inside, followed by 2 more layers of mat for strength.
The right front fender is a whole different level of messed up!
I started grinding out the old repairs inside and out, and this is where I have stopped for now. I didn't grind off the top repairs, as I need it for a reference to laminate the lower part to the upper part.
These will come in handy!
The side marker pocket is cracked at the front and hanging on by some original material along the bottom and left side. There are cracks in the fender from the lower left down, and upper left towards the wheel well.
At this point my wife suggested getting a replacement piece from a donor car, but I am usually not one to back down from a challenge.
I have repaired Corvettes that look much what the photo above shows.
One only thing I can suggest to you is to stop and ask yourself IF you want to fix this or not.
Granted I have some cool stuff at my shop that would make this repair go a lot faster and that is using thermo-stable sheet wax and use it as a backer so I could laminate up the fender on the top surface to get it started.
Now you do not have to use the sheet wax....and if you use the masking tape method and slowly build out the missing areas and at least get one layer of mat and resin on it...then you can obviously work on it to get it to the shape you want....OR...
Get a section from a doner car and install it. It all depends on how DEEP you want to get into this....and how much you value your time versus spending money of parts and still have to get them to fit and get laminated in.
I have a question about mounting the front grills.
I am rebuilding the right front corner.
The upper outer screw passes through the grill at a 45 deg angle.
The top pic shows how the previous repair handled it.
The bottom pic shows a semi-circular notch, not sure how that works.
What is the correct way to install the screw?
Pics would be helpful!
The top screw for your park grille is held in by a screw...and that screw goes into a special metal bracket that is riveted to the edge of the fiberglass. Your left side is CORRECT in how it is supposed to look BEFORE the metal bracket is riveted to it.
GM used the small flat head aluminum solid rivets to hold it so it would not effect the fit of the grille. I have seen people use pop rivets.
Got it.
The pictures and the AIM show the head of the rivet against the metal bracket on the backside with the peened end against the fiberglass on the face. This seems backward to most explanations of how to install rivets through fiberglass.
They don't give those little metal brackets away!
No wonder the PO built the flange out and slid the U-nut over it.
02-18-2018, 09:09 PM
100%.
