Rx-7Blazin

looks pretty good cant wait to see the finished project

BlackRx7

me niether, I hope, your using all weather materials

Trav

Keep posting, we're watching!

RX7_ZRO

cool ****

chris_stampe

I did this same thing, but I broke it. One scrape and you are fucked. So be careful.

rx_7_driver

i still want one



-Shawn

88IntegraLS

I heard that! My car is not too low (about an inch lower than stock) so all I need to look out for are curbs. I already found that out the first day I drove the car when I smashed into one while parking it.

But if I do bust it some day, the fiberglass will be really easy to repair. You just sand it, lay up a couple more layers of glass, fill and repaint. Easy

Pinfield357

looks good hope that it turns out to be what you expect it to be

yearrgh

Looks good. It's different without being loud or obnoxious. I like that. Good luck

88IntegraLS

. . . exactly. I am browsing for wheels, too, and that is what I am looking for. A look that matches the car and is not too bold, but does cause a double-take to someone familiar with normal fc's.

Some final touch-up filling before glass lay-up:

88IntegraLS

Here is the result of my first lay-up.


I did that in about an hour with two separate pieces of glass mat, about a cup of resin, a couple popsicle sticks and a spreader stick. It was pretty easy, just messy and smelly.

KiyoKix

Looking good man, VERY good.

88IntegraLS

One layer of that glass mat soaked in cured resin is very stiff. I am planning three layers on all front surfaces and two for the duct insides. Then I will try to scrape off all the cardboard and put a layer or two around the openings from behind to help bond the new nose profile to the bumper.

EndlessRPMs

dude, it kinda resembles a newer eclipse stock bumper...!!!!! but i like it! i'm glad to see someone tackling their own projects!!

astrochild7

iTrader: (3)

your making this look easy... i just can't stand these high prices either... if i can find a spare bumper i just might try somthing like that....

88IntegraLS

Thanks. The hardest part was taking the plunge and cutting the bumper. Second hardest was routing the cardboard side duct forms around the headlight motors. Everything else was pretty easy.

Astrochild7, you will probably see the finished car if you ever go to an auto-x in eugene. I am going to start making the meets down there when I get the car finished.

skydivr73

hey man--this is SWEET.....now you got me checkin the boneyards for a stock nose, and I haven't ever done any glassing before!!

Can't wait to see it done!!

SlayerwithaFC3S

hmm im curious now could i use cardboard to create a bodykit then bondo and fiber glass it? i done body work with friends before but i never considered using carboard to create a body kit entirely

SlayerwithaFC3S

im also thinking of doing what ur doing but giving giving it a flat down look i dont like the beak shape the FC has really alittle to sharp and old fashion for me

Jimmy325i

You should be using a brush to apply the resin and a squegee to thin it out and press it into the glass. (squegee also helps wet the fabric)

Other than that... Looks great!

The strength comes from the glass and how the plastic (thats what the resin is) bonds the fibers together to make a rigid structure. Excessive resin will be heavier and weaker than having a proper fiber content in the part.

Now that you have a base coat of material and it is pretty firm. Use some really coarse sand paper and smooth it out. Be sure if you use water to clean the surface following sanding that you let it FULLY dry before laying up subsequent layers. (the polyester resin absorbs water very well and is a primary cause of failure and voids)

Do the rest of the layers in as few stages as possible. You'll get better bonding of the fibers and less excess materials between the layers of glass.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask. I just had a class on re-enforced composites last fall.

RX7_ZRO

yeah, he's got me thinking of ways to do a piece of body work myself now (bad person you ) however, I have no extra money of any sort to work with
Great work man, keep it up!

88IntegraLS

Ha ha, yeah my lay-ups are a little "wet" so far. This is my first time with glass mat as opposed to weave. I'll try that idea, Jimmi325i, thanks.

As far as making a total body kit out of cardboard, it could work if you were very careful with how good the original cardboard form was. That's a good idea about making a straight down air-dam type shape to make the nose really look better. Then you could do some mild side skirts and a little work on the rear bumper . . .

Really, all the cardboard does is temporarily exist under the first couple of lay-ups. Then I will hack it out with my die-grinder and paint removing wheel.

jimmyv13

That looks really nice. Great job

rotard

To do up the whole body ya'd probably have to go for some styrofoam or sumpin' -- just imagining trying to do a lip or sumpthing like that with cardboard might be impossible.
The other problem might be keeping things perfectly symetrical.
Nice work, by the way!

88IntegraLS

Got some more work done since yesterday:





I tried pouring the resin on the form first, spreading it around with a squeegie (for bondoing), and placing the glass mat onto it this time. Then I squeegied the excess resin around until the piece was soaked with it but not wet on the surface, and it worked better than my old tecnique of putting the glass on first, then the resin.

I used less resin this time and the glass mat didn't get messed up at all. Usually I end up catching the fibers when trying to soak the resin into the glass while spreading it around.

Anyone wondering if you have what it takes to do fiberglass work, just buy some glass mat, finishing resin and build something. You will see how easy it is. Just be sure to get some gloves!