1975 Plastic fantastic aka Corvette

[milner351]

Do you need to use any special additives to paint fiberglass? What about the urethane "bumpers" those things always seemed to crack.

I bet your wife changes her tune after it's painted.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Do you need to use any special additives to paint fiberglass? What about the urethane "bumpers" those things always seemed to crack.

I bet your wife changes her tune after it's painted.

again, rank amatuer - so follow my advice on this at your own risk....


no additives, according to the paint shop where I buy most supplies the acrylic urathane is plenty flexible for both the fiberglass and the urathane bumpers
I did ask that question and they said with some paints like acrylic enamel that is an issue.

That's funny, Bryan, it was as apart as it could get when you saw it - so everything after that was basic assembly and putting bolt a into hole b... but I don't watch much TV

[SuperBuickGuy]

when you own a fiberglass car, eventually you have to do (wait for it) fiberglass work.

problems

worse problems





grind problem areas (mental note, get discs for mini 90* air grinder)


Prep areas, making sure you're super duper clean - tape off areas that you don't want to glass





cut fiberglass and goop up




that's all folks... now it has to set up overnight and I'll probably do a third layer over the missing piece area.

[Scott Liggett]

I worked.with fiberglass once. Wasnt bad. Though the piece I was working on was an plenum under the dash pad. It could look like Frankensteins monster and it wouldnt matter once reinstalled. The plenum was originally bolted on, but after fifty years neither fit and the only thing getting air conditioned was the back of the speedo and the inside the glove box.

Let us know of any tips to getting it smooth for paint.

[milner351]

please tell me you're using epoxy resin and not the nasty brittle stinky horrible polyester resin junk?

[Beagle]

Let us know of any tips to getting it smooth for paint.

Minnestota Mining and Manufacturing's (3M, MMM on NYSE) claim to fame.. one of their first if not the first product:




I'm guessing it costs more now. Oh - and this guy is missing his hat:



I'm getting itchy thinking about it.

[SuperBuickGuy]

please tell me you're using epoxy resin and not the nasty brittle stinky horrible polyester resin junk?

okay, I'll tell you it's epoxy resin - that dries like polyester

[SuperBuickGuy]

Let us know of any tips to getting it smooth for paint.

bondo works excellent as long as what's underneath doesn't move - say, it's brittle, stinky and just an overall PITA

[Bob Holmes]

Yikes, fiberglass work.

No standard 'vette cracks at the engine bay/cowl corners?

So you need to change your name to "SuperBuilderGuy".

[SuperBuickGuy]

as long as it's not fiberglass insulation, I'm fine with it.... just remember to wear a dust mask and avoid grind on it when the pores are open.

only cracks are in the front, inner fenders.... what is interesting is I'd have thought it'd been in an accident since it's cracked on both sides, however, the car's original nose (with chalk marks) was on the car... I'm reconsidering whether or not I want to do a 10 point cage to stop the flexing that probably caused those cracks.... or I'll just not mess with it and reglass it when it cracks next time

and now I have sidepipes

[Bob Holmes]

and now I have sidepipes

Yeah, we all knew it was going there. You just arrived late.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Yeah, we all knew it was going there. You just arrived late.

story of my life, I need to build faster cars

[SuperBuickGuy]

so first... my $200 sidepipes and headers - am I strange for looking at these and thinking "I could build those a lot better"? 18 ga, 3/8" flange, no way for it to flex and no muffler provisions....

I will get them either coated, or I'll repaint them - they have the "rust protection" paint on them - which would last maybe 5 minutes - so it needs to be done

the hood flanges are looking better



as are the headlight rims




so I sanded and filled chips. Tomorrow, more sanding with maybe a break of paint booth building.... ugggg

[Scott Liggett]

Those Hooker type header side pipes are such fun to install. Enjoy.

You can make your own mufflers with fiberglass mat, a perforated tube and a 4 in. pipe.

I saw on a episode of Gearz that a company makes that stuff.

http://www.heartthrobexhaust.com/

[SuperBuickGuy]

Those Hooker type header side pipes are such fun to install. Enjoy.

You can make your own mufflers with fiberglass mat, a perforated tube and a 4 in. pipe.

I saw on a episode of Gearz that a company makes that stuff.

http://www.heartthrobexhaust.com/

that's exactly where I got the idea to do that.... then me, being the glutton for punishment that I am, wondered if I should be a chambered, slip-in muffler instead (ala flowmaster)