Rather than weld new rear 1/4s where mine were cut, another member gave me the advice to fill the gap with foam/clay, sand it and fiberglass the body kit on. I want to do it , but, just wondering, with 0 fiberglass experience, how hard would this be for me?

 

Not a good solution. The resin expands and contracts at different rates than steel. It will look fine for a while. Then cracks will show.

​​​​​​​I tried a fiberglass repair on my first car. It cracked.

If the panels are steel, have them welded on. Then fill with a quality filler.

 

is the Shine widebody FRP, not steel. Either way i'll have to use fiberglass to mold them, not wanting to go the rivet route. So, filling the gap from the cut 1/4 to the FRP panel with fiberglass would basically just extend the amount I'd use to start with. No real other way to mold the panel seamlessly regardless of the cut 1/4.

 

Soooo....had a custom fabd steel 1/4 panel welded on. Now I have the body kit to mold flush. Any advice on fiberglass vs bondo or resin to make the kit flush with the panel?
Any suggestions on what product brand etc to use?

 

i had mine molded. I dont like the rivet either ,
A special putty filler was used, they called it foam putty, (i am thinking because it is actually very light and not in the form of a foam) and results came out good. I got a couple of small cracks over a 6 year period. I feel that should be significantly easier to work it vs fiberglass. Fiberglass can be a royal pain in the *** and the chances of having areas where the bond is questionable are very high. they will eventually show. I do have fiberglass experience and this is not something i would do.


I cant say this with certainty but i think its something equivalent to the 3M lightweight body fill. https://tcpglobal.com/products/mmm-5...yABEgKi-fD_BwE

 

This is an all fiberglass 1969 Superbee! Fiberglass is much easier IMO to work with!

Joe Maddox in Oregon did this one.


Making the molds are the hardest parts. I personally have had many kits over the years and almost all of them the molds where made incorrectly. I found that the main reason why most of them turn out warped or short is the lack of willingness to trim the final product.

However there are always companies out there like BN Sports and RE who make amazing kits. I have found Shine to be another company who takes its time with molds and put out an amazing product. So my advise would be to have the mold be the most important step you focus on if you want a quality product.

 

Restored...
I am not making the mold, I have one from Shine. I am just trying to get it flush with my existing steel panel.

I have heard good things about the 3M stuff, never heard of the foam filler though, but a couple cracks in 6 years is great, and the job in the picture looks good too. This will be my 1st time at this, but no shop will do it unless I pay a ridiculous price in the thousands.
I am def. Looking for minimal cracking being that I am paying upwards of 8k for paint and don't want it ruined in the first year.