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Thread: Working with Fibreglass. Making a Hatch

  1. #11
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    havaparty, even though a bonnet is quite large and flat, it doesn't make it any easier. Flat panels are actually considerably more difficult than panels with some shape because they are more prone to shrinkage due to incorect catalyst ratios, heat from uneven laminate thickness and mold inperfections. My AE86 bonnet molds are one piece, but bolt on sections for the returns on the sides actually make demolding heaps easier. Bonnet molds definitely need some sort of reinforcing frame around then to keep them rigid. An option that not many people consider is a light weight fibreglass skin bonded to the original metal frame. The material cost for a bonnet mold would be considerable, and I would suggest starting on something small first that can be done in one piece. Typically, a fender mold is 4 parts.
    An easy part to learn on is a flat panel, 300 x 250 mm, of melamine veneered chipboard. Wax, gelcoat then lay up on this. Once you get this right, progress onto bigger projects. Fibreglass materials are very expensive, and if mixing large quantities of resin for a large panel such as a bonnet, there is a very good chance the resin will cure before you can finish the panel. I will post some pics of my bonnet molds to give you an idea.

    Most fibreglass vehicle panels that are design specifically for cars incorporate lots of shape in them specifically to aid in the stiffness.

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    Thanks man. I might do that. Get some supplies and practice on something small to get back into it. Havnt glassed for a while lol. And now I'm curious to see how a guard is done lol. Didn't think u would need 4 moulds to do the one guard. But yeah post up pics of the moulds u got so I can get my head around how u went making them.

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    4 parts for a typical sprinter fender.
    Part 1 does the majority of the face
    Part 2 does the return at the back of the guard, between the door and fender
    Part 3 does the wheel arch return
    Part 4 does the return for the bonnet recess, bolt area.

    Often you can incorporate Part 2 and Part 4 together, or eliminate Part 4 altogether. if you eliminate part 4, it makes laying up the component more difficult because of the extra sharp edges and makes it more difficult to release.

    All the parts simply bolt together. Often there is another Part 5 that does the headlight recess. This is unusual though

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    So do u bolt all the moulds together then lay up all the glass and resin then unbolt all the mould pieces 1 by1 cracking them off as u go?? I'll hav to see a picture of how it's done lol.

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    Yes. That is basically how it is done. Although sometimes, and I often do this on a fender, I lay up the main section first, trim, then attach the top return were the bolts go and finish that section. This process lets you lay up large flat sections, then add the returns at a later time instead of trying to do it all at once. Lots of different methods. I will try to chase up some pics to explain all the steps.

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    this is the one thing that I like the sound of, I am one of the lucky ones with my hatch but it's now catching up with me so something metal free sounds good. I am finding this thread interesting overall. Oh I would love to have composite doors but no.. bad idea.
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    Composite doors are on the go Sam. and not a bad idea at all. I make the door skins for some V8 supercars, and using their rules, I make a glass/ kevlar skin that bolts onto the existing steel frame. The beauty of this is you can retain the intrusion bars, burst proof locks, windows and winders, minimise the potential of rust and reduce weight. And, your engineer is more likely to be happy. But dont quote me on that.

    Next on the go in the composites area is the rear panel, and lower bever panel, door skins, and finally quarter panels and roof. I gave a quick demo a few weeks ago on making fibreglass molds to some friends and we used the plastic footrests in the AE86 as the project.

    Another interesting mold that I made a few years ago, but haven't completely finished, is the trueno eyelid covers and the centre garnish for the whiteline lights. These two bits in carbon, or a carbon/kevlar weave would look sweet. I used to make carbon/kevlar front wings for formula 3 cars and they looked pretty impressive in the sunlight. Just on that note, I have a mould of the centre rear garnish panel on the back of the ADM sprinter, that sits above the number plate. I removed the toyota and replaced it with a raised AE86. I have one of these in carbon somewhere also, and a carbon horn button for the AE86, AE82 steering wheel. Illegal I would think, but looks good. will dig up pics. I actually got bored one day and machined an aluminium mould for one of those horn buttons on the CNC that had 24 Valve in place of 16 Valve for my 1ggte sprinter.
    Last edited by jimmy19650; 1st April 2011 at 10:48 PM.

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    well you have me amazed and intrigued. Any pics would be great, particularly of this center trim. I would want to have composite doors because of the boody intrustion bars and their general overall obscene weight. If I had a roll cage with side impact protection it would be different both otherwise safety first.
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    Ok. As promised some pics. Quality not good, but you get the idea


    Centre rear number plate garnish for ADM sprinter. Centre Toyota writing is removed, and this added. Aluminium plug machined on CNC. Fibreglass section cut into mold at later date

    For you Sam. The centre garnish for white line lights. This was an absolute pain to make this mold. As you can see unfinished, but still usable. A carbon or kevlar item out of this would have to be vacuum bagged. Just to show what can be done with fibreglass, if you combine this mold with the rear panel mold, you can have the Whiteline centre garnish built into the rear panel. No nuts, bolts, rubbers or leaks. Would be heaps stronger due to shape and lighter.


    Steering wheel horn button. Carbon/Kevlar twill weave. Absolute horn.




    Something different. My other passion is a GTiR. This logo was incorporated into a carbon fibre intercooler cover.
    Last edited by jimmy19650; 10th April 2011 at 01:39 AM.

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    wow, thanks for posting
    My website: SQ Engineering - 4AGE and 3SGE upgrade/replacement parts

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