Fibreglass repair

[deezee]

I've just got my bodywork from Fabby and I've been trying to reach him with no luck, but until that happens I thought I'd ask you guys. The bodywork I received is damaged. So until I hear back from Mark, how hard is it to repair split fibre glass and gelcoats? Its the scuttle in the picture below.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4117266172_a0351ab2fb_o.jpg

[mark]

Im not quite sure on the best repair method to suggest (im sure someone will shortly!) but depending on how you make your dash panel that area may be covered up anyway. As long as you do something to prevent the crack running further into the panel you may get away with it.

If its the other side of the scuttle in the engine bay just ignore everything i just said :D

[spud69]

That's a shame, looks like its been damaged in transit.

Going to be awkward to repair as it looks like the fibreglass is damaged underneath. The other problem you'll have is getting the gel coat to match.

As an option i am prepared to make a new one for you at the cost of postage, £15, the only thing is that we won't have the colour to match and the gel is not cheap to buy in small quantities, £38 + del for 5kg. We can do it in yellow, orange, black, or clear and then you could have it sprayed. Any body shop could match the colour.

Hope this helps in some way.......AndyH

[flyerncle]

A suggestion,if you do it in clear gel coat it can be etch primed and then sprayed to match ( or so my bodybasher tech say's).

May solve the problem with a little luck,Saturns panels are excellent too.

[les g]

As i remember first you have to hold/clamp the piece in the required position so it hasn,t spread
abrade the the rear and apply a patch to the abraded area several inches either side is best
then when that has cured you can grind out all the damaged area ensure the rest is masked you dont want any marks or dings
then you build up the ground out area to just below the finished surface this can be done with resin/repair tissue/or microfibers/or that funny talc like stuff etc
then you can apply gelcoat to finish the build up ( i think sometimes a wax is added to make it easier to polish out )
then you sand
then wetndry
then wetndry
then wetndry
then refill the pinholes with more gelcoat
then you sand
then you wetndry
then you wetndry x1000000000000 times:eek:
then you polish
and hey presto its as good as new and the repair can be invisible

hey its not that bad really but you get the idea
its just quite a bit of work and elbow grease and well within the abilities of a competant diyer
me i,d buy saturn sc a tub of premixed gelcoat and have a bloody good haggle ( andy shortie deserves a payback .. lol :p ) and let them keep the gel they are sure to get an order in that colour soon ...
you would be doing them a favour.......:D

cheers les g

[alga]

You all guys are so thorough... I would use a fugly GRP patch and cover it up with a panel -- bulkhead or dash depending on which one it is.

[fabbyglass]

Ummmmmmm don't you just love carriers.......:mad:

It is repairable and not hard,..even if the glass is cracked all the way through.

On the back feather out the crack with a wizzy then patch with resin and matt.
When that's cured you can attack the gel face, again feather it back with a wizzy then using pigmented gel with wax solution( top coat or flow coat) build up like using body filler.
Let this cure and sand it down using finer and finer wet n dry

The colour I used is super white pigment by west and senior, bout £6 for 500g from CFS.

I'm waiting to hear back from Emma on which carrier it was etc so will let you know.

[deezee]

If I'm completely honest, I'm terrible at any kind of bodywork repair. Its one of the reasons I sold my MGB, after trying to patch a wing. I think I'd have to be crazy not to accept the incredibly kind offer from Andy and get a replacement in clear gelcoat. This way I can keep my build progressing. I've got so much to try to do I don't want to fall even further behind with bodywork at this stage in the build.

[les g]

Ummmmmmm don't you just love carriers.......:mad:

It is repairable and not hard,..even if the glass is cracked all the way through.

On the back feather out the crack with a wizzy then patch with resin and matt.
When that's cured you can attack the gel face, again feather it back with a wizzy then using pigmented gel with wax solution( top coat or flow coat) build up like using body filler.
Let this cure and sand it down using finer and finer wet n dry

The colour I used is super white pigment by west and senior, bout £6 for 500g from CFS.

I'm waiting to hear back from Emma on which carrier it was etc so will let you know.


i said that lol
cheers les g
learnt from the master !!!!!!

[deezee]

Just as a thanks for the hard work by Andy at Saturn, who turned around a replacement scuttle for my car. He's gone out of his way to help me and really can't say enough to thank a guy who effectively gave me a scuttle for free!

[HandyAndy]

Hi Deezee,

glad that you received the scuttle ok, big Andy made the scuttle & i wrapped it :o , tried to make sure the carrier couldn,t damage the replacement :eek: ;) :)

cheers
andy ( the short 1 at Saturn)

[chriseyj]

Hi Deezee what are you doing with the damaged scutle? If your selling it I'd probably have a crack at trying to fix it, am on a tight budget and wouldn't mind a faulty part.

Cheers Chris

[deezee]

I don't know what to do with it to be honest. I don't have the skill or materials to repair it. But I don't want to sell it and make money out of the kindness of the Andys'.

Your not the 1st person to ask either :eek: there seems to be quite a queue forming.

[HandyAndy]

I don't know what to do with it to be honest. I don't have the skill or materials to repair it. But I don't want to sell it and make money out of the kindness of the Andys'.

Your not the 1st person to ask either :eek: there seems to be quite a queue forming.

thats what this forum is all about.... helping each other to achieve the same goal = A Roadster.

Deezee..... don,t feel uneasy at all mate, you do what is best for you & another forum member/builder with regard your damaged scuttle, if another forum member can make use of your scuttle then "everyone,s" a winner :cool:

cheers
andy (the short ar$e ):)

[dogwood]

Isn't Andy a nice man....A very nice man...A very nice man indeed:D

[spud69]

Isn't Andy a nice man....A very nice man...A very nice man indeed:D

NO....You all must buy new ones........;)

[chriseyj]

I didn't think I'd be the first to ask.
On a different note does anyone think a steel framed aluminium skinned scuttle would be much heavier? Father in law says not but I thought grp bodywork was usually lighter hence why TVR's are so scary.
Chris