Cool, "SilverFocusZX3" and you live close. Are you involved in any SCCA events? My email is [email protected]
I cracked my SMC fenders in a few places and have been busy repairing them. With many thanks to the guy's on this site the car should look decent when I am finished. I will post pic's of my repair proccess so it can be critiqued. UH OHH

Cant wait to see the pics UNFETTERED. Unfortunately I am not involved in the SCCA but have always thought about it. Right now I am more involved in the car show scene helping friends build cars and working on mine. One of my best friends was involved in the SCCA (owns a white delsol car used to be blue) recently he had a motorcycle accident and isnt involved in much right now during recovery

I actually live in Bloomingdale so if you ever happen to see a wide bodied Ford Focus or a 92 white civic si driving up and down Rt. 59 thats probably me

My finger is pointing to a gap.The top of the panel is even-lines up. The bottom is high. 1). I was going to use "Evercoat" Adhesive with chopped up mat and build up the bottom 1/4 inch. Then shape the area with a sanding block. I will probally sand all the way through the SMC and have only the filler???
2). Cut the fender then bend the high area down. Then use Evercoat and mat on the top side and shape????[img][/img]

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What is the best way to attach the SMC panel to the metal flange? This is a picture of the front fender and the flange runs vertical behind the front wheel.[/img]

Well, this may be over simplifying this but I'd do more like your number 2 choice there. I would take a Dremel tool or die grinder with a carbide bit and cut a long v shaped relief cut about two inches or so from your finger about 6 to 8 inches long. That would give me some flex to position that edge where I wanted it. I would use a couple of small wood shims to hold it there and mix up some thick epoxy or the stuff you're currently using. If the door is operational, open it and run some duct tape under the relief cut. Then just pour enough stuff to cure and hold your shape. Then I would go over it with more resin and matt to help hold it's shaper long term. Finish up with filler and you should be done.
Again everybody does this different, this is just how I like to do it.

On that panel thing, does the fender still need to be removable? If not I'd consider using something like Fusor or panel adheasive for that. If it had to be removable you could probabaly tack weld some steel tabs that would come down and then glass over them on the SMC. Yeah, you'd still have to grind that stuff off to remove the SMC part but the metal tabs would stay in place for the next mounting. I've done this before on lower panels that I thought would be succeptible to rock damge, sure enough they were damaged, and needed to be removed for repair. Worked pretty well.

The groove would be cut on the surface of the panel lenghtwise and at a depth of 3/4 the thicknes of the panel? The joint will bend then I will hold it in place and apply adhesive?

Yeah, I could see that working. Just make sure it's hard before you move anything, then layer some strength into the area.

Looks tricky for my skill level. What would the negatives be if I built up the bottom and reshaped it by sanding? I would have the SMC intact on the top portion and sand to the filler on the bottom edge?
I am hear to learn and will try which ever way is best and Thanks for helping!!!!

If that's what it takes for you to get it done (without sweating bullets ), do it. That's what's kind of neat about these materials, we can cut, shape, move, adjust profiles, etc. anytime we want.