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steeling out a fiberglass model a roadster body

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by davesville, Apr 26, 2008.

  1. davesville
    Joined: Dec 13, 2006
    Posts: 364

    davesville
    Member

    i am considering swapping some early model a speed gear for a (floppy)FIBERGLASS ROADSTER BODY .THIS WAS UNEXPECTED AND THROWS ME INTO ANOTHER DIRECTION.HOW HARD IS IT TO STEEL OUT A FIBERGLASS BODY .BETTER STILL COULD THIS BE ACHEIVED IN TIMBER AS I AM A TIMBER GUY.(CANT WELD).I HAVE TRIED SEARCHING THE HAMB MAYBE I AM SEARCHING THE WRONG WORDS .ANY HELP WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.SORRY ABOUT THE CAPITOL LETTERS MUST HAVE PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON
     
  2. flatheadpete
    Joined: Oct 29, 2003
    Posts: 10,478

    flatheadpete
    Member
    from Burton, MI

    I just finished fab'n a steel floor, shaft tunnel, trans tunnel for my 'glass T Roadtser. Not hard. Hemmer-welded all the seams from under the car, bead rolled panels, hammered some more. I also have a steel structure that holds the whole thing together. I'll try to post some pics later.
     
  3. davesville
    Joined: Dec 13, 2006
    Posts: 364

    davesville
    Member

    Thanks Pete Look Forward To It
     
  4. Using wood to reinforce a glass body has been a common practice in the past,,maybe some builders still do,,

    Caution must be used when laminating wood to fiberglass as it can draw the glass in and and distort the body,,

    I would think the ways of doing this are many,,,this is the way I have approached the task.

    A guy in the boat business taught me to mark the area where you are going to glass in the wood and apply a overlaping coat of matt and resin,,,if the wood is 2 inches apply a piece of matt 3 or 4 times as large.

    then let that cure,,,in the sun if possible for a few days.

    then you can install the wood using the matt and resin.

    Good luck,,,and the caps lock button on the left side of the keyboard will solve you yelling problem. :D HRP
     

  5. dusty
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 176

    dusty
    Member

    Since you are a wood guy, go for it. They were built with wood from the git go. Check out the websittes that offer wood kits for the drawings and duplicate it. Get some glass mat and resin to glass the wood to the body when you have the fit where you like it. God luck.
    dusty
     
  6. davesville
    Joined: Dec 13, 2006
    Posts: 364

    davesville
    Member

    THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION( caps lock thanks primer)my question is do you need to prepare raw timber to accept fiberglass resin
     
  7. Bert
    Joined: Feb 22, 2005
    Posts: 404

    Bert
    Member

    Im not sure on this one...you might want to check with our beloved rego authority if your gonna rego it. Id say if its a resto you probably could do it the way Mr Ford did it over here and use wood...but if your going to slot a bigger motor in it, rod it, well, you need it steeled out. Ive still got the wood in my doors on my A modified and can cover those with door trims and hope all is well...but the body had to be steeled out.......Bert
     
  8. I'm sure you know to use a good hardwood....I use poplar in my 32's..makes
    for easy tacking for upholstery...check with boat industry glass suppliers for the
    product they use for laying in the beams in the hulls...I use a product called
    "corebond"
     

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