scudderfish
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 02:56 PM |
|
|
Filling large unsupported holes
I have never done any bodywork before. I've had to cut out the old bonnet bulge to let my engine out and the hole left behind is too large.
I'd like to fill in the areas I've shaded blue, but I have no idea as to how I should approach this. Should I turn my bonnet over, glass
fibre in some aluminium mesh from below and then build up on top of that? What is the best technique/materials to do this?
Regards,
Dave
|
|
|
|
|
Daddylonglegs
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 04:35 PM |
|
|
I would go that route. Use the aluminium mesh bonded to the bonnet with GRP then layer on top once cured and fill with metal putty (not sure that
normal filler will handle the vibration/flexing)
That's what I would do anyhow, but someone with much more nouse than me will be along soon I'm sure 
HTH
JB
It looks like the Midget is winning at the moment......
|
|
|
MikeRJ
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 04:37 PM |
|
|
If you can form some alloy sheet onto the top surface and secure with self tappers etc. then prepare well with release agents you could simply build
up gel coat and a few layers, with the last couple of layers overlapping the existing bonnet material.
|
|
|
jacko
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 04:38 PM |
|
|
Masking tape a piece of thin aluminium on the out side of the bonnet then fiber glass from the inside of the bonnet
using resin and matting after that rub down the out side fill with body filler and paint
Or fit a BIG scoop
|
|
|
pewe
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 04:53 PM |
|
|
From my experience of GRP as Jacko ^ says fit a big scoop which covers the whole area.
The problem you'll have is matching the gel coat colour of the surrounding, original GRP to your repair unless you intend spraying the whole
lot?
TBH I'd think a big ass scoop will look better than having the plenium out in the fresh air.
If you are going to repair I'd ali plate a slightly oversize piece from the under-side, pop rivetting it on from the top by countersinking the
rivet heads.
Then glass both top and bottom surfaces.
That way there should be little to no risk of flexing/crazing in the future.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10
|
|
|
scudderfish
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 05:03 PM |
|
|
The car was painted green, the original fibreglass is blue. I'm not after concours levels of finish, if it is approximately the right colour
I'll be happy for now. The whole body is a bit tatty so I'll probably get a complete respray next year but for now I just want to reduce
the size of the hole.
I did toy with the idea of a scoop, but I didn't find anything nearly big enough and I quite like the idea that the engine is too big for the
car If I make a complete pigs ear of it I can look into scooping it later.
|
|
|
mark chandler
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 06:04 PM |
|
|
I,d stretch cling film over the area as fibreglass will not stick to it, then duck tape over the top to secure, flip over and back fill with
fibreglass leaving plenty over so I could cut back.
Nice rough edge required for adhesion.
Leaving that lump sticking out the bonnet would annoy me, if I still had the original hump would carefully locate with some spacers for clearance then
build up the sides.
Regards Mark
[Edited on 31/10/13 by mark chandler]
|
|
|
Peteff
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 06:08 PM |
|
|
Tape some thin acrylic sheet to the bonnet where you want to fill then turn it over and resin and mat it from the back. Let the the new stuff cure
then peel the acrylic off, cut to shape, fill and paint it. You could use anything flexible on top and put a sheet of cling film under it to stop it
sticking then peel it off, I've done it a few times and it leaves a decent surface to fill on top of.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 31/10/13 at 06:44 PM |
|
|
Dickie B has a mould I took for a bulge that should fit over that engine….
|
|
|
scudderfish
|
| posted on 3/11/13 at 07:09 PM |
|
|
Well that was an interesting experiment in bodging; my fibreglassing is worse than my welding. I started off by covering the hole in clingfilm and
then backing that with some cardboard
I got a fibreglass kit from my local motor factors (Milehams in Harpenden & Dunstable, top shop) and set about making a mess
The brake cable was the line I sort of wanted to keep.
I built up about 3 layers and realised that this is quite tricky to do well. Oodles of air bubbles that I just couldn't shift. Anyway, once it
had all gone off, I flipped it over and did the reveal. What it revealed was the clingfilm I used was crap. The resin had permeated through it and
soaked into the cardboard  After I got that mess off I found that I hadn't poked the CSM in enough and there were some gaps between it and
the bonnet edge
 .
I'm now working on the basis that filler can hide a multitude of sins. If it works, it works, if it doesn't I'll just cut it all
out and start again. I'm certainly learning new things anyway.
Regards,
Dave
|
|
|
