Building up gap between the bumper and hood

Anything goes in the world of fiberglass and plastic



Non-Lurker
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:23 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 11:42 am
image1.jpeg
image2.jpeg
image3.jpeg
image4.jpeg
image5.jpeg


Hi all, I've been reading the thread for a while trying to do this DIY myself. I bought myself a replica fiberglass kit and of course I knew I need to do some tinkering. This forum has been of great help! This is my first time doing any kind of body work so I just wanted to make sure i'm doing this right. I gotten the fenders bolted on to the exact alignment and finally got the bumper installed after reinforcing all the mounting tabs with more fiberglass. It is finally where I want it. the body line running across the front of the hood and front of the flip up headlights are a bit low. probably anywhere between 2mm to 10 mm difference in height. I wanted to make sure I'm doing this correctly.

1. sand down gelcoat with 60 grit to the area i want to have built up higher
2. wipe down with acetone and let dry.
3. add fiberglass filler (i'm using evercoat kitty hair) I've built up higher than body lines
4. sand down evercoat to match body lines
5. I added a layer of fiberglass mat over the evercoat

Right now i'm very flush to the body lines probably 2 mm off from the the hood and headlights covers.

The fiberglass matt I put on has some air bubbles in it. Most of them are around 2-3 mm diameter. larger nickel size air pockets I ground down. Should i fill with the kitty hair or fiberglass resin and matt?

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 6672
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: central Ohio
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 6:10 pm
Yeah, you're basically on the right track here. 80 grit is usually low enough to get a good grip with most areas. If you are getting bubbling you should be using a spiked style roller when you press out that mat. If you've already got bubbles trapped in there, get them open with a dremel tool or small grinder and yes, just fill over with your mat/glass combo. Just a word on that nose. With the way that it flares out at the edges I would make a sub-frame underneath using electrical conduit bonded into the back. I've seen that type of nose flex enough at highway speed to cause cracking in the paint. Air pressure pushes those outside tips back, then you get down to city speeds and it flexes back.
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!



Non-Lurker
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:23 pm

Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 7:54 pm
Thanks, actually this kit comes with a front underside diffuser that connects to the subframe and underside of the bumper.. Is that enough for for support? I also modified my reinforcement bar to fit this bumper whereas other rx7 owners with this kit just removes the rebar.

The shape of pretty much there. I'm going to finish up with more long hair strand filler and then rage gold. So my question is.. I can't get the kitty hair smooth along the the bumper that runs parallel to the hood. Am I to finish the body with the rage gold?

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 6672
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: central Ohio
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:38 pm
Ha, ha, guess the manufacturers got tired of hearing about cracking paint. Nope, sounds like you've got enough support unless you're going for land speed records.... good that you kept the bar though. Yeah, finish over the kitty hair with your regular filler. On areas like that sometimes I'll switch to more flexible poly putty like Body Icing as it's a tad more flexible and easier to shape at an edge but your filler will work fine as well.
RX-7.... yeah, I'm somewhat of a rotard myself. My kit car has a 13B running a Camden Supercharger in the rear..... keep posting here if you can... I'd like to see this completed...
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!

Return to Fiberglass and Plastic

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests