Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

[Ralph R.]

I Need Info For Repairing The Drip Rails On My Hood Surround. Any Comments Will Be Welcomed.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

I Need Info For Repairing The Drip Rails On My Hood Surround. Any Comments Will Be Welcomed.

Hi, Ralph: Use the "NCRS Archives" tab above to seach for "fiberglass repair"; the archives are a valuable enduring resource.

Fiberglass repair is not hard, it doesn't require exceptional skill, and the repair probably requires less time than it takes to type it out the process. Use my name in the advanced search if you like; I personally have typed the procedures for fiberglass repair a half dozen times.

[Rich P.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

The inside lip of the original hood surround jamb was paper thin in some spots and totaly gone in the others. I just use 3-4 layers of tape as a backer and then apply the matt and resin.
As Chuck said fiber glass work is not difficult...the trick is to be able to make your repairs undetectable and structuraly sound


Rich

[Ralph R.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

Thank You Rich. The Photos Are Helpfull Too.

[Ralph R.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

THANK YOU Chuck Sangerhausen. THE SEARCH TOOL APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FAIRLY TIME CONSUMING.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

THANK YOU Chuck Sangerhausen. THE SEARCH TOOL APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FAIRLY TIME CONSUMING.

Ohhhhhh...So it's OK if I waste my time writing it all out again for the seventh time, if you don't have to waste your time looking it up. I'll give it up for you since the edge repairs are a slightly special application, and you seem like you could be challenged for energy and motivation.

I've not done this repair before, but I've done enough other fiberglass to be pretty confident I can do this. This is how I've seen it done in books...I have also found books not a bad idea when I'm knowledge challenged : Form up the inside ridge edge with WAXED aluminum flashing at the "chipped" area (or tape as Rich has done). This is not essential to the way I'm going to tell you to do this, but it will speed up your final forming and sanding.

Tear or cut enough small pieces of mat to fit each chipped area; allow four or more layers at each area. Rough the area around the "chips" to insure adhesion; manually sand the areas well with 80 grit paper where the mat will extend (the mat spreads after the resin is applied, so allow maybe 20% more area than the "patch" size).

Mix the resin well with catalyst. Paint the prepped area with resin, apply resin to a piece of mat and stick it in place over the chipped area. The illustrations I've seen of this process show the mat going onto the ridge pretty dry...it's virtually a wad of dry fiberglass with a little resin tacking it on. I don't recommend that because, ultimately, I would want these fiberglass "patches" laying down and adhereing to as much fiberglass as possible, without dry edges or internal voids...at least that's my opinion based on experience.

After you've applied the first layer, try to work the mat down onto the chip and the ledge as much as possible. If you leave voids or air bubbles, you'll have a big hole when you start cutting the final cured wad down to look like the rest of the edge, and the repair will be weakened by the void. Continue applying layers using this technique until you're pretty confident you have enough "meat" to trim back to the original contour.You may not be able to get it lay down well with the first layer...if not, you grind out the void later after the repair has cured and try the lamination again.

After the lamination has cured overnight, use a Dremel tool cut-off disc to cut off excess "blob" and carefully rough out the ridge dimensions (leave a little sanding margin). Then use hard sanding blocks, paint mixing sticks, popsicle sticks, all with sandpaper of various grades...whatever it takes to remove everything that doesn't look like a hood ledge. On the inside of the ledge, it's going to be difficult to sand precisely; after the first time, you learn not to pile up a bunch of useless mat and resin where it isn't needed (this probably seems contrary to what I told you earlier...there's a balance).

[Ralph R.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

THANKS CHUCK. I APLOGIZE FOR MY BRIEF NEGATIVE EARLIER RESPONSE. I HAVE NOT USED THE SEARCH ENOUGH TO BE AT EASE WITH IT OR FLUENT IN IT'S USE. I WILL ATTEMPT TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
YOUR LATEST REPLY APPEARS, AT FIRST GLANCE, TO BE JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED FOR MY RATTY, CHIPPED, CRACKED, AND FRAYED HOOD SURROUND DRIP RAILS. THE REST OF THE BODY HAS SOME SIMILAR RASH BUT IS MAINLY ON MORE OR LESS FLATTER AREAS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, FOR YOUR EXCELLENT REPLY. YOU WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HELP ME OUT. YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED.
I WAS LOOKING AT THIS SOMEWHAT HELPLESS OR HOPELESS AND YOU HAVE RESTORED MY CONFIDENCE.
MY SON, AGE 43, AND I ARE GOING TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR AND REFINISHING OF MY BABY AND NOW I BELIEVE IT IS WITHIN OUR ABILITIES.
I AM IN YOUR DEBT. THANKS AGAIN.
YOUR NEW FRIEND, RALPH

[John H.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

Dust mask and rubber gloves will make it a better task.

[Michael G.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

......and all lived happily ever after.

I love happy endings....

[Ridge K.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

Nothing like a happy ending!

Especially for an older guy like myself.....

[Michael G.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

Ridge,

Don't limit you ability to learn new techniques. Some of best Corvette hobbyist are "older guys"!

[Brian M.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

It will be a happy ending if he stops using all CAPS.

[Ralph R.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

So sorry for the mis-use of CAPS. I did not realize I was dealing with such thin-skinned users.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

So sorry for the mis-use of CAPS. I did not realize I was dealing with such thin-skinned users.

Talk about thin-skinned!!...I can just rub up against something and pull off a big chunk; maybe I should take my pulse.

I thought your caps meant you were really emphasizing what a **** I was for not just answering the question.

Searching the archives is easy if you have a few tips:

(1) Use advanced search; it allows you to be more specific and saves time...you're probably going to end up using it anyway.

(2) Use of too many words in a search phrase will cause you problems...be as succinct as possible using key words; e.g. "fiberglass", or "fiberglass repair". The first net (fiberglass) is going to bring up a LOT of junk you don't want, but if you go through it you'll find the repair stuff too.

(3) In search engines, particularly the NCRS version, ALWAYS say "Match ANY word". If you don't, it will simply return with "No Matches", which is frustrating as **** when you KNOW that you have PERSONALLY posted on the searched subject.

(4) If searching for posts of an individual it's a snap.

(5) If you know the approximate time frame it will be even faster, but be careful your recollection does not throw the baby out with the bath water.

[Ralph R.]

Re: Fiberglss Repair Of Hood Surround Driprails

Thanks for the tips. At first I attempted to use the NCRS Archives button and then later learned to use the advanced post search.