Has anyone built their own fiberglass body?

[wayfarer]

I'm thinking about building a fiberglass trailer body to pull behind my car because the trunk will not hold camping gear for my wife and I. I may even build a teardrop body eventually, but I'd like to build a mullins type trailer. I figured it would be the same process as buiding a car body only easier. Anyone have any suggestions?

[Unkl Ian]

[ QUOTE ]
I figured it would be the same process as buiding a car body only easier..

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Still lots of work to do it right.Make a plug,make a mold,then make the parts.
Lots of itchy,smelly,messy work. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Even if you cheat,and use Ed Roth's 'Glas over Plaster method,it's still alot of work.
You can buy repop Mullins trailer bodies for what it will cost you to try and make one.

[Bugman]

Moriarty built the coolest body ever made out of Fiberglass. He used the Roth method.

[DrJ]

What Ian said...

Roth's bodies were "heavy" compared to laid up in a mold glass bodies so I wouldn't suggest that route for what you want.
To make a mold you have to make a model, plug, pattern, tool, lots of names for it but you have to make the body then pull the mold then make the body again. Not labor or materials effective if you only want one of them. It would be better, faster, easier and cheaper to hammer one out of aluminum or steel or buy the mullins repop as Ian suggested.
Yes I've made bodies before, and more molds than I can remember.

[plan9]

didnt AHOTROD build his purple A from fiberglass?

[4t64rd]

Hercules Motors in Tampa has the Fibergalss Mullins trailers

[AHotRod]

I built my own 'glass "A" Coupe body back in '89...and I won't do it again.
As a suggestion, why not get yourself a cheap T-bucket body and make a cover for it, make up a 2"x2" square tube frame, stick a trailer axle under it where it "should be" and your done, cheap!...or at least something different and inexpensive.
This is my homemade 'glass body "A"........

[Unkl Ian]

If I ever have to make someting out of Fiberglas again,I'll carve up the shape I need out of closed cell foam and pay someone to cover it with 'Glas. Foam and 'Glas (http://www.rqriley.com/frp-foam.html)

[TINGLER]

I am getting ready to build a trailer.
I got a kit from Northern Tool and Equipt. Co. ($200) The kit came with a title and lights and all.
On that frame I am planning to use a plywood floor, and sheet metal bedsides. The basic plan is to build a sorta Model A lookin' truck bed and then have a tonneau cover to keep my stuff dry. For the bedsides, I plan on bead rolling "factory" lines in it to make it at least look SEMI old....

I have seen a few done like this at various car shows, and in my opinion, they look a hell of a lot better (more interesting) than the mullens trailers. And don't even MENTION the "roadster body" tag a long abominations.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The upside of doing one this way is price. I estimate have LESS than $350.00 in the whole thing. Plus NO fiberglass work....

Later,
JT.

[AHotRod]

JT.....great idea!

[FRITZ]

I built the roswell rod the same way that ed roth did also, and as Dr J said man yah it is heavy, alot of work itchy work, but I cant wait to do it again, Im a glutten I know
FRITZ

[Mel]

When I was 10 my dad and I made a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shell for my Halloween costume that year outta closed cell foam and covered it with fiberglass. Worked great, was super easy, and was a blast to do. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

~Melissa

[sawzall]

ok

first of all I cannot believe I am going to give this away!

that said if this idea doesnt work.. too bad

anyhow heres my idea.. as someone suggested above buy the silly little northern hyd. or similar 300.00 trailer.. then do this.

build a frame work on top out of 1/2 by 1/2 square stock and 1/4 inch drill rod! kinda like here

[sawzall]

next cover the framework with stitz fabric from the aircraft folks like I did here

[sawzall]

please note that in the previous photo the stitz fabric has been glued to the aformentioned framework and shrunk to a taught condition through the application of heat VIA a standard household iron.

lastly and most importantly make the trailer look like this



PS thanks to the tales and trails website for posting the picture

[TINGLER]

Sawzall, That rocks.
It would be super light weight as well ! Where does one aquire that material??

Here is an interesting link SORTA along the trailer lines. Maybe somebody can get some good ideas from it, I know I enjoyed thinking about it.....

Here is the link: GYPSY WAGON LINK ...CLICK ME (http://www.enslin.com/rae/gypsy/dwagon1.htm)

JT.

[sawzall]

I bought the material from a company in ohio.. I cannot find their catalog to save my life right now.. the material is 9.00 a yard. but it requires 2 coatings to cover it.

the first coating seals the material and makes it water tight.
the second coating is a silver coat to protect the material from UV light. (as this material breaks down in sunlight with out protection)

now someone out there in hamb land is sayin "ok sawzall yeah sure that might work but hows this stuff hold up.." well my top looks as good as it did in the photos I just posted (they were takin in early june) and we have put over 10,000 miles on the car since then.. and we leave for florida tomorrow. anyhow my response to any nay sayers is this IT WILL HOLD UP.

in addition any tears that would happen to occur can be fixed easily through a process similar to that which i have described above.

lastly the downside.. as cool as it looks you would need to factor in some thought into the window and more importantly the door openings as they need to seal tightly.. also the stitz fabric offers little to no insulation value.. but when painted silver like mine it reflects alot of heat!

anyhow. I forgot to mention that after the silver uv protectant the stitz can be coated with other topcoats in a variety of colors.. I just like the silver.

later
sawzall

[wayfarer]

Sawzall, I hadn't even thought of that! That's like Himsl used on the Zeplin that he restored. How do you anchor it to the frame that you made before you pulled it taught?

[james]

Sawzall- ever seen those geodesic aeorolite boats built kinda like that? You use a few peices of thin lath, kevlar roving, and that material. 16 foot canoes weighing about 12 pounds. I've always wanted to do one....one day.

[sawzall]

wayfayer

my top is bolted on with four 1/4 inch 20 thread per inch bolts. I have 4 tabs welded to the 1/2 inch square framework that runs the perimiter of the roof. the tabs are made from 18 gauge steel.

james

Hey man how have you been?? I know EXACTLY The boats your talking about a good friend of mine (also named jeff) told me about building one of those canoes when he was a student at oswego in new york

later
sawzall

[Deuce Rails]

I haven't built an entire body, but I've played around with the stuff.

Check out these videos:
http://www.fiberglast.com/showproducts-category-videos-118.html

In particular, they have a video on Moldless Construction that would be right up your alley. In it, the make their own turtle deck using foam, glass and resin. They finish with a polyester filler.

I've also ordered supplies from FiberGlast and I recommend them.

--Matt