Hey fiberglass wizards, little help?

[Craig]

One small winter project is to make a fiberglass tailgate for a guys racecar. I know, tailgate :confused: on a racecar. But the car that the mold was orignally made for has gone 8.98 in the 1/4, we're talking '68 Buick Sportwagon with Buick power non the less :D He asked me to make another tailgate from the mold he had for a guy with a 10 second version. I've made glass bumpers, hoods and stuff before, but never something that is two piece. So the question, once I finish the inner section, I have to join it to the outer skin. Do I just rough both mating surfaces up and use some resin and clamp them together? Resin and thin piece of glass? Or what? I know the boat builders sometimes use Plexus, but I haven't found anywhere to buy that. Any thoughts? Here's the first piece, which is the outer skin. I'll start on the inner frame this weekend.
http://www.justanothertoy.com/photogallery/tailgate/skin4.jpg

[ROZ]

You have some great looking cracks in that concrete! :D

[Tom Brown]

You have some great looking cracks in that concrete! :D
I'd use some long hair polyester filler to fill those cracks, after opening them up with a die grinder.

[Tom Brown]

BTW, I'm not really a wizard but I've done a little glass work in my day.
I'd grind the surfaces as rough as you can, then use a couple of 1 oz layers of matt, or a single 1.5 oz layer, if the pieces fit well enough. Be sure to clamp well, of course.

[maxwedge]

I haven't got the slightest idea how to join that stuff, but when you figure it out, can you make me some fiberglass fenders for an 85 Nissan truck? Because when I tried, they looked baaad! LOL :crossx:

[Craig]

Hey Roz, the cracks match the ones in the slab under the kitchen :p They build them fast out here, not automatically good!
Tom, what you said is what I was thinking. Just enough matt to hold the resin and lots of clamps!
Maxwedge, that's funny, how bad could they have been? I can't believe you couldn't find anything aftermarket. Doing it my way is strictly out of necessity. If you want it and they don't make it, build it yourself :)
Craig

[riverracerx]

I am in agreeance. That is definitely a tailgate! ;)

[maxwedge]

Hey Roz, the cracks match the ones in the slab under the kitchen :p They build them fast out here, not automatically good!
Tom, what you said is what I was thinking. Just enough matt to hold the resin and lots of clamps!
Maxwedge, that's funny, how bad could they have been? I can't believe you couldn't find anything aftermarket. Doing it my way is strictly out of necessity. If you want it and they don't make it, build it yourself :)
Craig
As far as I know they don't make them, but if you know of a source for pre-runner style Nissan 720 fenders, that would be great. I tried to use the original fenders to make a mold but it was on a Sunday. I was in a hurry and the only store open with fiberglass stuff was Autozone. So I tried using the Bondo stuff (fiberglass cloth and resin). Way too light but I was thinking I could build up a few layers. I wound up with a semi-cured, flakey, sticky mess. Pretty funny really. :yuk:

[Craig]

The guy who originally made the tailgate mold put balsa core on the back for stiffness, really did a nice job. Don't know why you couldn't find this stuff at Autozone!!! This was more of a learning experience for me. I might try and make some doors for my GS next :) Same concept, just have to make the mold as well. This is the car the tailgate mold was originally made for. 500+ cubic inch Buford with a sheetmetal tunnel ram and a Lenco! I did at least make the rear bumper for it :)
http://www.justanothertoy.com/photogallery/NewBigRed/TAwagon.jpg
http://www.taperformance.com/_derived/Default.htm_txt_Wagonstand_jpg.gif

[Jbb]

This works well (http://www.autotoolmart.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_prod.html?p_prodid=10989&p_catid=0)

[Doin' Time]

they do sell some very nice epoxy's to join fiberglass together from 3M ...im sure they have a site for it.

[soupersonic]

You have some great looking cracks in that concrete! :D
After he fixes the concrete maybe he will stain that weathered looking fence :rollside:

[Redrider]

I am in agreeance. That is definitely a tailgate! ;)
What shade of black is that? :rollside:

[hoolign]

What I would do is make the tailgate mold and put balsa core on the back for stiffness, and really do a nice job. You can't find this stuff at Auotzone!! This will be more of a learning experience for you. You might try and make some doors for your GS next :) Same concept, just have to make the mold as well. This is the car the tailgate mold was originally made for. 500+ cubic inch Buford with a sheetmetal tunnel ram and a Lenco! Or so they say! Did you least make the rear bumper for it ?
Hope this helps!

[maxwedge]

Running out of threads to post in Hooli? LOL :crossx:

[hoolign]

Running out of threads to post in Hooli? LOL :crossx:
Are you kidding me? There are a shitload of threads left that I can make a mockery out of! :D

[Craig]

Thanks as well JBB, that looks good also. Soupersonic, I haven't found anything that holds up to the sun out here. I finish that damn gate and then in a year it looks like hell again :( I'll try again this year for ya' :p

[Two K's]

How about the bonding glue they use when gluing corvette body panels together.I made a custom hood skin and used bonding glue and clamped a inner hood from another stock vette hood and it's still together 4 years later. You can buy the stuff at a "real" auto paint supply store

[Doin' Time]

they do sell some very nice epoxy's to join fiberglass together from 3M ...im sure they have a site for it.
try this....most all new cars are glued together!