repairing broken fiberglass

[buck_1one]

I was in the junkyard the other week and found an old F350 that has a Lund sunvisor on it. They don't make them any more for trucks with factory cab lights, and I don't want to pay the $300 they are going for anyway.

It looks like something fell into the side of the visor and broke a section of the fiberglass out. I didn't look all that hard at it, at the time. The more I think about it the more I'm thinking of getting it to use on my old F350.

I've never worked with fiberglass before and I'm not sure what would be the best way of going about a repair. Heck at this point I'm not sure how bad the damage really is, but I'm not going to buy it if I don't think it can be repaired.

So are there any fiberglass repair men restorers out there? I looked online but didn't find much. Most of what I did find was on fixing surfboards and that didn't help any.

[Highground]

Do a search for Corvette body repair. That should get you some info on repair.

[Bearfootfarm]

A lot of auto parts stores sell repair kits with the cloth and resins you need.

It's not that hard to do

[Roadking]

Bondo has a fiberglass setup...it's resin, hardener and cloth. Mix it, place it, let it set, then sand it down. Easy, but takes time...kinda like spackeling drywall. WEAR A MASK AND GLASSES...fiberglass can really mess up your day (days) if it lands on you...you'll be itching for many days. Aside from that, easy job.
BTW, it's a packaged kit, holds up well, and is reliable. Personally, unless it's a 'Vette, I use the two part epoxy and a fiberglass cloth from another source. Never cared for the "plastic" car myself. The engine...another story LOL!
Matt

[Old Vet]

I have repaired many tanks on farm equipment. It is easy to do but hard to make it good enough to be like the rest unless you paint it. There is a paint for fiber glass.

[buck_1one]

Didn't think of looking for Corvette body repair, thanks for the tip.

I know I can buy the stuff to do the repair, but that does not mean I know how to do the repair properly. You can buy tools, doesn't make you a mechanic. You can buy food, doesn't make you a chief. You can buy Bondo, doesn't make you a body man... get my drift here?

[Roadking]

Originally Posted by buck_1one

Didn't think of looking for Corvette body repair, thanks for the tip.

I know I can buy the stuff to do the repair, but that does not mean I know how to do the repair properly. You can buy tools, doesn't make you a mechanic. You can buy food, doesn't make you a chief. You can buy Bondo, doesn't make you a body man... get my drift here?

I restore antique cars and build customs from the frame up. Fiberglass is a 101 course. Dont' mean to sound crass, but when offered information, attitude doesn't often get a second response.
Point being...take your time, pay attention to the body lines, and you can do it.
Matt

[buck_1one]

Originally Posted by Roadking

Dont' mean to sound crass, but when offered information, attitude doesn't often get a second response.Matt

I am sorry if my response came across as having an attitude. That was not my intent or my feeling.

[Roadking]

Originally Posted by buck_1one

I am sorry if my response came across as having an attitude. That was not my intent or my feeling.

Glad to here that.
Fiberglass is a simple, yet time consuming project, if you want it done proper. Might just well take several applications...followed with several sandings and much mumbling under your breath.
You can do it. And do it well. Just don't expect it to be complete the first (or even third) time.
from this...

to this...

is about 10 hours of work...

[Beeman]

Fiberglass is pretty straight foward to work with. Are all of the parts still there and it's cracked or are there pieces missing?
Before you start with fiberglass understand that it's nasty stuff when you grind it and you need a mask and to cover as much skin as possible. You will itch like never before if it gets into your skin.
If it's just cracked you'll have to grind out the cracks so the resin will adhere. Best thing is to make a reinforcement and screw it from behind, you can always fill all screw holes later. Then mix up resin with chopped fibers in it and fill the ground out cracks. You can reenforce the back with fiberglass cloth later.
Of all places Wal-Mart had resin,jelly,mat.cloth and bondo. It was all high quality name brand stuff.

[buck_1one]

It has a section missing, its not just a crack. I really don't know the full extent of the damage as I did not look it over that well. It went something like this:

OOHHH that will fit my truck cool, awww man it's broken.

Then I went about my kid in a candy store routine when I'm in the junkyard. Then as the days passed I thought about it more and thought that there has to be a way of fixing it.

So that is where I stand right now. I'm sure it can be repaired, I just don't know how to go about doing it. The last thing I want to happen is to have it crack or fall out after a lot of work and money because I didn't do the job properly.

I watched a couple of videos last night and have a little better idea, but they were repairing a boat hull. I have no idea what some of the things they were talking about are, but they were doing more then resin and glass. Could be a different procedure due to the salt water, I really have no idea. I really thought it would be easier to find something online about fixing broken fiberglass. So either I'm just not looking it up correctly or there really isn't much to be found.

[Jim Bunton]

Nice job Roadking.

Jim

[Beeman]

How much is missing? You'll have to make a form to support the fiberglass mat or cloth. You can make it out of plastic or metal and screw it to the rest of the part. You might need a release agent or to cover it with saran wrap. You then mix up the resin, soak the cloth or mat in it and then apply it to the form. It will dry rigid and bond to the original part where you ground it. You can then shape it as needed and finish with resin and chopped fiberglass then bondo.
It's cheap enough to buy some resin and mat and play around with it, you'll then understang it better.

[Roadking]

Originally Posted by Jim Bunton

Nice job Roadking.

Jim

Thanks. Client is pleased...This one will be tougher...LOL!

Curves are a bugger. Plus, it's mine, and has been waiting for 15 years for me to start on it...Too many toys and clients. It's all good.
Matt

[Jim Bunton]

15 years huh, Sure wish I could make fun of you for that, but I know I have projects waiting around for me that are at least that old. If one day ever gets here I am sure they will all get finished.



Jim